Harbinger
by TC 2014
Summary: ThunderCats 2014 Season One - See profile or author(s) note for details. "A group of cats is drawn together and one of them has a secret, and a blade of sacred power. The heart of the world palpitates. Terror is growing. And the Harbinger, consumer of galaxies, is stirring again."
1. Chapter 1

_ThunderCats_

 _ThunderCats_ is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe is/are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

 _ThunderCats_ will be updated weekly at nine pm EST on Fridays. Requests for it to be more or less frequently updated will be ignored. Requests for certain occurrences will also be ignored. The refusal to answer questions is not out of disrespect for the fandom but for a semblance of professionalism. Comments are generally read but are not guaranteed to be personally replied to by any of the affiliate(s) taking part in the construction of this series. Keep in mind each of us have lives, families, and a variety of projects.

All parties reading this will likely have questions about ships, original series characters and changes to the overall storyline, and they cannot be answered at this time due to spoilers. However, the creator(s) of this work profess a desire to be as fair as possible to fans and that a certain sector of the fanbase has long been denied satisfaction in the shipping department, in both the 2011 rendition and the DC/Wildstorm comics. This reboot is NOT dedicated solely to ships or catering to a particular sector, but be aware that the creator(s) of this reboot will seek to administer fairness in this respect.

We're not talking about Lion-O and Wilykit, so please refrain from asking. There will be no pedophilia of any sort. Nobody on this creative team supports such things.

This story is recommended for ages thirteen and up for the following:

Reference to fantasy drugs, alcohol, fantasy drug trade.

Mild suggestive material.

Violence and frightening scenes.

* * *

 **Pilot**

 **Stranger on a Mission, Part 1**

* * *

His fingers batted the thin gold and it rang on his stubby claws. He tried it with his toes next and found that even more enjoyable, chunky legs flailing.

Inside the bassinet the music played, and the baby kicked at the four-legged cats dangling from the machine again. They swayed, still turning to the chimes. He babbled and the sound echoed uncomfortably in the high temple, pale stone and pillars throwing it back. The ceiling rained a thousand shades and tints of light through the stained glass, melting the gold trim into rainbows and bronze.

"May the Creator's Will be done. May we follow the Code. May the heir be Chosen." After this a chorus of roars from everyone in the room made the baby stop playing and begin to cry. An old cat approached with a bowl and the baby was marked with red paint on his forehead, heart, and right hand in spite of his frantic wiggling. His fat fingers closed and opened unhappily, pulling at the foreign knuckles. "The blood of those that have come before you guard your path. May they keep your mind pure, your heart pure, your strength pure. Only the Creator will keep your soul pure."

Rimming the room were cats, twelve of them, a combination of priests and prophetesses. They exchanged looks and as their leader retreated from the bassinet with his bowl of red paint, they lowered their heads and said, "For the Code."

Their baskets were lifted high and swift, and the stones inside flew out, glittering like a dark hailstorm. It took a few long seconds for the lots to clatter on the tiles, a thousand skeletal toes. Half landed with the red garnet sides up and the others with black obsidian.

When they finally stopped rattling Jaga looked to the king.

"The ceremony is complete." He stepped away from the newborn prince – still bawling in the basket – and examined the stones, winding between the pieces without ever touching one. His aged toe claws made brittle creaking noises, tail keeping his balance. "I do not see anything remarkable. There is no pattern."

The king's tawny hair and beard fell down the scaled armor like melted gold, framing the stone face and ending in a thick braid. "Very well. Collect them and put them away. I am meeting with the captains soon and they won't come into a room with these things; the cadets are superstitious." He stood up and made his way down the white and gold stairs toward the dais where the baby's bassinet rested. It was the seventh hour of his seventh day, and now that the lots had been thrown the ceremonies were over; the heir was to be named after his mother. Le-On from Le-Onna. A plain, princely name for a plain, princely child. It was ordinary and the king approved it. If his mother could not guard him in life, he would be placed under the protection of her name in light of her death.

Two of the priests came forward with the carved stone box that housed the lots. Both wore masks laced with gold and silver, lined with fur and red paint. They represented the presence of the spirit pride, their ancestors that ran in paradise at the Creator's whim. Jaga looked from them to the child, tired of the crying already. He was one more heir on the list he'd seen, the seventh one, and he wondered if perhaps the lots were not wasted. All they did was scare infants and make them scream with their noise.

One priest shrieked. Jaga's head snapped up at the crash of the stone box hitting the floor. The clawed hands were limp, numb, and the cat backed away from the cub. His eyes bulged behind the mask. "The stones!"

The rasp of jewel on tile turned everyone's eyes to the middle of the room. One jagged piece, black side up, moved across the floor. Then another, scarlet as new blood, shifted in the opposite direction. It was as if invisible fingers were sliding them like puzzle pieces across a table.

No one dared to breathe. The sunlight in the stained glass windows seemed colder. Jaga realized the child had stopped crying.

And then all the lots whirled across the floor like locusts, rolling and swirling without mortal touch. Red and amber lights refracted off the jewels, dazzlingly fast. Many rose into the air in a massive spiral, lowering into new places. Jaga twitched, looking at the newborn cub.

He simply sat, chubby and interested, squinty eyes following a few rocks. None of them touched him.

The roar of the pieces slowly died like an old wave, falling into stillness. None of the priests around the room dared to move. Jaga forced himself to breathe.

The baby giggled and Jaga noticed the little one's tail swishing around happily. Claudus was the first to move toward him, lifting the heir naked from the bassinet and setting him on his shoulder, eliciting another squeal. His cold eyes followed something and he gestured for Jaga to come to him. To do this the old cat would have to step on some of the lots and he shook his head; he wouldn't tread that ground for any king in the world.

"Look at the pattern, Jaga. Tell me what it means." The king's voice was harsh, cutting, and Jaga obeyed. The smooth dark line of a silhouette, the piercing angle of a tooth, a red place for an eye-

The image of Thundera's guardian loomed black and red on the floor, surrounding the bassinet. Something –some _one_ – had arranged the ceremonial lots into the image of the Great Cat in completion of the baby's final dedication as the heir to the throne.

The cub burbled and drooled, sucking on his own tail tuft.

* * *

"If you can't pay your tab, you can't have any beer today. So get – out!"

The pot-bellied cat half-flopped, half-rolled out the inn door. She gave him a good foot to the behind to push him well out of the way. The sign above the door swung as if to clear the air, the chubby cat on it looking smug. "And don't come back until you have the silver to pay for that chair you broke either. Your wife called looking for you last night and you show up breaking things, that's the last straw!" she snapped. Staff resting hot in her hand, she used the butt of it to smack his leg. He yowled and bared his teeth at her.

"Little slut! Who're you to kick me out?"

"I'm the security for the Fancy Feline Inn and Tavern. You don't like it, take a hike." Her dark brown eyes grew darker and she twisted her hands; the flat ends of the staff opened and several blades slid out, crackling. The marks around her eyes were nearly black and made her look venomous in the flash. He eyed the staff more soberly than before, the yellow gleam of the metal reflecting the white electricity. She shifted her hair so it was behind her back, out of the way and spun the staff. "She's not elegant but she's reliable."

Muttering about outrageous beer and wild women, the cat got to his flat feet and stomped off, calling her all manner of colorful names. She switched her staff back to standby mode and it shortened until it was the length of her hand. Placing it in its holder on her belt, the woman headed back into the bar, spotted tail lifted haughtily.

Cheetara felt a certain grim satisfaction kicking drunks out of the bar. It opened up more places for paying customers to sit, and she hated mopping up puke the tipsy ones tended to leave. If they'd been a refined winery in the Imperial City there would have been money and fine liquor and silken beds, but in Dera's Run – or "Thundera's Runs" as the high folk passing through called it – people were lucky to get a good ale and a warm bed afterwards in a slum's inn. Not to mention a clean place to use the bathroom. "Runs of the west" indeed.

They kept the inn as well as they could. It wasn't fancy like the name suggested, but it was a place for the traveler to lay their head down long enough to rest in safety. Cheetara valued that reputation, and anyone who tried to interfere with it met her staff. Papa had found it swaddled in her blanket with her on the doorstep, and she never let it out of her sight.

"Anyone else have a problem paying their tab? Our prices aren't that high men." A couple of cats laughed and one tossed her a copper. She grinned at him. "I'll write that down for you, Ferrol."

"You do that. No man with a brain wants to be thrown out of the only decent bar in Dera's Run by the prettiest gal around." He raised his tankard in her direction and the regulars sitting around the worn oaken bench cheered, lifting their own bawdy glasses.

"Be careful your wife doesn't hear you saying that sort of thing," Cheetara said. The older cat laughed as his fellows hollered and she rounded the room, taking up a wooden platter as she did. Whisking dirty cups off the tables, she paused occasionally to check a flickering light bulb, tightening the loose ones. She balanced the platter masterfully while she did this and returned to the bar, putting it down.

"Daddy, mark off a copper for Ferrol and two silvers for Mittens! And we need three fizzing whiskers and a tabby shot for the new table." A Siamese cat poked his head up from behind the counter, portly and smooth-coated. His dark face was benign and his short beard was scruffy.

"Coming up. I could've seen to that ruffian, kitten."

"Oh Daddy, really, you'll take all the fun out of my job…"

Cheetara paused to brush off her clothes, picking a stray hair off her shirt and her brown breeches. A little beer had gotten onto her fur, amber on the gold, and she licked her thumb and scrubbed at the spot.

The doors opened and shut again. She didn't look up but her dad smiled. "Ah, Tygra. I didn't expect you back from your mother's so soon."

"Well, I wanted to beat the ice." Cheetara waved at him when she'd cleaned her fur satisfactorily and his familiar, pale face was pleased. "Cheetara…just as proper as ever. You missed some on your arm."

"Can it Tygra, you still owe me two coppers for when I spotted you." He rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket, tossing her the coins. She gave him a hug, noticing that his winter fur was still in the process of shedding. "Thank you. It's good to see you. How's your Mom?"

"Pretty good. Still hates Dad's guts, still doting on yours truly. Helping everyone that knocks on the door, sainted woman." Tygra dressed down when he came to the tavern, and for good reason; they didn't stand for criminals in the building but there was no way to keep all seedy folk out. The son of one of the few nobles in town could attract the wrong kind of attention in his nice clothes. Not that he couldn't handle a fight or two himself.

He was wearing a blue tunic and breeches, whip on his belt and his tail coiling peaceably. He kept his hair all in long braids tied back, cat's eye beads sealing each braid end. It was a tiger thing, something to do with his family line and an old tradition passed down from tiger tribal customs. And his pretty face looked interested, entertained, yellow eyes dancing with news and politics.

Very wary of any pranks, Cheetara jerked her thumb toward the bar. "The usual? Or are you here for the gossip?"

"Both, actually. Came to dish with a little of my own too." He made his way to one of the stools and watched her dad whip up the drinks in clean glass mugs and pour a shot in a few seconds. "Yamese, have you had many nonfels in lately?"

Cheetara grimaced at the slang for non-felines but said nothing. Her father poured one more drink – a fizzing whisker with the addition of a shot of Candyfruit juice, the tiger's preferred drink when he couldn't get ahold of a hot mug of tea – and slid it down to Tygra, who passed back a letter. It had the mark of his father, Xiame, in the wax seal. "Thank you, I was hoping your father would respond. And I have, actually. Had a few jackalmen in yesterday and a whole pack of wolves the day before. Seems like they're moving through early this year."

Switching the drinks to her platter, Cheetara ran them to their table and was back midway through Tygra saying, "-I met a few myself. Sounds like Mutation is heavily traded in the north. Our enemies are looking for people to generate it for them and they're looking for more sources for ingredients. Of course you won't get anyone to admit that when you ask. All hearsay."

Somebody brushed past her toward the door, stopping beside it to look at the wall. "Someone took that week-long security job, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry. Better luck next month." Cheetara scanned the pages still pinned up – it was a notice board of sorts, a place to advertise for jobs and services when cats couldn't afford to hire announcers or rent newspaper ads – and took one other one down. "That's one's old too."

Someone else tried to cop a feel as she sidled past but one of the regulars scowled at him and slapped him. There was honor among drinkers, if not drunks. Not to mention this one had been friends with Yamese for thirteen years. The other hiccupped and Cheetara rolled her eyes. "You're at the end of yours, sir. We encourage the appreciation of a good drink, not throwing up and passing out."

His eyes blinked out of sync and she sighed, leaving him. Daddy would handle him. She couldn't lift the fellow to help him up.

The tavern had been in Yamese's family for generations. It had started out as a wooden hut where the local merchants swapped ale and stories and grown into an inn with ten rooms and a little bar and kitchen. Cheetara lived with her parents in the highest room of the place, a glorified attic. It wasn't much but it wasn't the side of the street. She couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

"We haven't seen any Mutation this far down, but it's only a matter of time. I wonder why the king has lessened his attack?" Her father slid out from behind the bar with a practiced sucking-in of the gut and escorted the drunk fellow out, off the paneled wood floor and out into the road. He came back and returned to Tygra.

"He's more worried about civil unrest in the east I guess. I'm beginning to think an empire can only get so big. Apparently lizardmen are fighting with cats, complaining about their lot in life." Tygra seemed placating, humoring, and Cheetara snorted.

"You'd be pretty unhappy if you had to work twice as long as a cat _by law_ to have a home to call your own."

"If they don't like it they can leave. Thundera doesn't make them stay." He swirled the contents of his glass.

"And go out where there's no food at all and the Alliance will try to rope them into their ranks? More employers would hire lizards if they didn't have to have a certain percentage of feline employees. The laws are causing more problems here than anything."

Tygra didn't get angry, resting his chin on his hand. "So we get rid of them. And then we'll have high unemployment among cats causing more civil unrest. Great job, Empress Cheetara."

"I'm for market freedom and responsible people. Government seeking to control the market never works out. I have a little more faith in the average person than you I guess."

It was an old spat between them, the situation of the peoples and kinds. Yamese just ignored it, letting them argue.

The door opened again and Cheetara looked to it. "Be right with you!"

The person was in a dark cloak with the hood up. They nodded and moved to the bar, sitting down and looking around. They seemed intrigued.

"In an ideal world, Cheetara. Like I was saying before, the king has to worry about a lot more than some black market trading of Mutation. But the Imperial City hasn't been making many announcements for months. Everybody's starting to wonder what's going on up there."

Cheetara heard something clatter in the kitchen and poked her head through the window by the bar. "Mama, you okay?"

Sai was picking up pots and pans, muttering to herself. She was a thick woman but taller than her husband by a few inches, and her tail was better groomed. Her pale fur was nearly the color of toasted sugar, but edged on gold in the light. "Fine, fine…I've got three orders for stew and five for honey-bread and the oven's making that noise again, but I'm fine back here."

Tygra poked his head through the window too, shooting her a smile. "Hello."

Her irritated expression vanished. "Tygra, sweetie! When did you get back? And how is your mother?"

"Just now. She's doing well thank you. Need any help?"

"Oh, I can't ask you…unless you could look at the oven…"

The black machine sputtered and out of the top a plume of black smoke rolled sluggishly. Her smile didn't flicker. "It's always doing that."

"Sure thing." Rather than taking the door like a normal person he slipped through the window, landing on his feet easily. "Let's see…ah, there's the problem. How did you get tangled there?" Tygra was crouched by the machine, picking around behind it.

Cheetara tapped her claws nervously. "Hey, remember the last time you messed with a power line, you ended up-"

There was a noise like a whip and the smell of burnt fur. The oven made one more noise and seemed to purr, humming properly. Tygra turned around and Cheetara shook her head; his face was covered in soot and his fur was standing on end.

"…I still fixed it." His fingers twitched. Her mother began to fuss, running some water and wetting a clean dish towel, dabbing at his facial fur. Cheetara laughed; Tygra had burnt himself and his fur more times than she could count, and he was an amazing healer. The soot was coming off and his fur was glossy under it. Perhaps ash was good for the complexion.

Yamese had already reached the cloaked cat. "What can I get for you?"

In all the tumult of the bar, this person was the only one with his head covered. "I think I'd just like a spring water please." One of their nonalcoholic beverages, spring waters were just that – a glass of clean water from the springs outside of town, flavored with a little mint and juice. Cheetara headed into the back to the barrels where they kept the wine and waters, stacked in the corner of the kitchen. She turned the knob of one, drawing a generous helping of clean water from it and grabbing a sprig of mint and a bottle, mixing the contents as she walked back out.

"One spring water." He slid a coin across the bar with two fingers. Pleased – strangers didn't always pay up front and the water took a day to bring back – Cheetara accepted the coin and examined it, biting it to verify its purity. "Huh. Imperial money. You from the west, stranger?"

"Yes. I was hoping to find a cartographer in town. You wouldn't happen to know of any would you?" This wasn't strange, and Cheetara tried to think of the shops nearby as he took a drink. "This is very good. Thank you." She eyed him; his manners were western all right, not raucous at all. Strange scene for his kind.

"No problem. We have a couple of map makers around, old Tabbsy for one. He can map out any of the eastern lands up to the Plutarran Bogs."

He didn't take down his hood, and the only thing she could see of his eyes was something glassy and dark. They looked like goggles or funky glasses. Cheetara didn't ask; people wore what they wore. "And…what about world maps?"

She paused. Someone was calling for a refill and she'd just taken out a bottle. "World map…a detailed one? That would cost a lot on paper. Now, if you wanted a chip with a world map downloaded on it I think that could be done. Tabbsy could complete one in a day."

He perked up. "That would be better. I didn't know there were any people around here that could design them."

"Dera's Run is little and junky but she's not primitive." She poured another cup and handed it to the waiting hand. "Three streets down. You staying anywhere? We have vacancies for while you wait."

"I'm staying outside of town. Thank you for the help." He drained the glass and gave it back to her.

"That's dangerous. You're not alone are you?" she asked. He shook his head and got off the bar stool.

"I'm with a friend. He's around town, scoping it out."

Before he turned to leave he hesitated. "I heard the tiger talking about Mutation. Has there been any around Dera's Run?"

"Not much. There's more in the bigger cities north of us. Our markets don't have enough gold to tempt the processors." This seemed to please him, and his light brown mouth smiled.

"Thanks. I'll be going now." And with that and the ripple of his cloak he was off, out into the streets again. Cheetara watched him go and shrugged, heading back to the kitchen. Her mother would need help baking if she was to keep up with the tenants' requests and help Tygra with his fur.

* * *

"I always wanted to be golden-haired." Sai's tiny fingers drew the comb through her hair and Cheetara shut her eyes, enjoying the hard teeth on her scalp. Her hair was almost to the small of her back and usually she kept it partly tied, but right now her hair was all over the place, speckles and dots flowing over her head and arms. "Half a braid?"

"Please Mama. It saves me time in the morning." She handed a brown hair tie to her mother and felt the warm wood and rug under her as she leaned back, head against her mother's knees. The rocker squeaked under Sai and the pleasant pull of her hair being woven made her purr. "Did you get Tygra cleaned up?"

"Yes. He's such a handsome cat, Cheetara. It's a pity you won't ask him out…"

"Mama, he's great as a friend. We wouldn't last three months as a couple." She heard Yamese in the other room and made sure her nightdress wasn't hiking up; Dad didn't need that kind of view. It was a loose, comfortable white thing, made from an old sheet her mother had, but it required some maintenance to cover her long, lean legs.

"Fine, fine. I do hope to see some grandchildren in a few years is all," her mother chided.

Sai had never been able to have children, so Cheetara – a foundling – was their only daughter. Cheetara was tall and skinny, a sprinting cheetah, so it was hard to find clothes for her at the shops the short Siamese cats frequented. It was easier to make clothes for her rather than go looking for larger sizes – more fabric meant the clothing was more expensive.

He entered at last, carrying a stack of papers, the letter Tygra had brought resting on top. He looked tired, gray whiskers threading through his darker fur. "It's official; Mi-Ao's contact isn't going to ship us mead next month. The fighting up north has raised his prices because he has to pay higher rates for security. We can't afford the new price. He sends his apologies. And something else is going on, but they're having trouble communicating. Xiame is going to be working on the situation."

Sai finished tying the braid. "It's not his fault. Everyone's suffering because of these wars and all these Mutation addicts. Mi-Ao's a good cat, he wouldn't raise prices for nothing. We'll have to get supply elsewhere. Maybe start making our own again."

"We don't have the land to grow crops anymore, not with all these citizens moving in. It's one of the favorite brands too. We'll just have to see if we can't get a local supplier of quality." He settled into his armchair, a squashy seat that was broken in all the right places. He thumbed through the pages he was holding and chewed his lip. Cheetara let her head rest in her mother's lap, listening to the rustle. Their most popular brand of liquor was the Fat Cat's Delight; they'd be losing it? That would hurt revenues pretty bad.

"Sure have been a lot of attacks lately. I wonder what's up?" Sai stroked her back, claws tracing the spots.

"From what Tygra was saying it sounds like our enemies are taking advantage of how upset everyone is over issues like Mutation and civil rights for other species." Yamese looked at the heater and its red vents, like some great metal fireplace installed in the wall. "We'll make it through. We always do. I just hope Mutation doesn't come here any more often."

"What kind of low crook could afford pure Mutation? That's for the big dogs." Cheetara stood up, heater light playing over her spots until they looked red. She was mentally calculating approximately how much in a day people spent on Fat Cat. Sixty percent of their income was based on the bar, and about half the patrons bought at least one round of it…maybe thirty percent. Her stomach knotted; there had been bad years before, but this sounded like it would beat all those easily.

Yamese shook his head as she wandered to the window. "I don't want you fighting anyone with that in them. They say it changes people if they take enough, turns bad men wicked." Cheetara waved her tail flippantly, leaning on the window sill and looking out through the dusty glass.

Dera's Run was a metal and wood town, carts running alongside mechanized bikes and – very rarely – a beat up, compact airship drifted along overhead. The nobles and merchants lived comfortably in the distance, their houses looking like little white matchboxes from here. None of them were near Imperial level, but it was hard to imagine riches like that. The Imperial City was said to have stone paths overlaid with gold, and buildings with pure marble bricks. Even the "poor" were supposed to make small fortunes. Of course, these were all tales of a big place, carried by the wind to tiny Dera's Run.

It was a dirty town but Cheetara loved it. Home was home, even if it smelled like exhaust and burnt pies and they struggled to make it.

"Cheetara?" Sai started rocking. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Just thinking about whether the fighting will come here. Dera's not much but she's pretty peaceful. I'd hate for that to change. I wish the king would deal with the threats." She turned away and ducked to kiss her mother's cheek. "'Night Mama. I'll run Tygra's tunic up to his house tomorrow before work if you want."

"Oh, I forgot. I finished mending that patch for him. Nice of him to fix the oven…I just wish he would be more careful. He's going to blow something up, and I'm afraid it's going to be him one of these days." Cheetara laughed and kissed her father too before heading to her bed. It was more of a cot really, fit into a snug closet. She had a door and some privacy, and that was all she could ask.

Cheetara went to sleep with relative ease after saying a prayer and considering things. Mutation, here? No…Dera's Run was too small and insignificant. Nothing important to Thundera's enemies were here, so it was safe. Home would always be safe. And they could substitute a similar brand of beer. It might be difficult at first, but they'd manage.

They always had.

* * *

"I don't like you wandering on your own. I'm your bodyguard, so I should go with you."

"It'll attract attention. Besides, you're not exactly the warmest person. You might scare someone."

"Good."

"It's more important that you can help me get the supplies. I can get a map easily. You worry about material for traps and food for the journey. You understand that kind of thing better than me."

"…Any sign of enemies?"

"No. Not yet. I'll keep hidden."

Silence in the dark of the evening fell and a dark face was warmed by the firelight. "All right. But if you need help-"

"I'll scream like a banshee and you'll come smashing in. Yes, great." He sounded moderately annoyed, staring into the fire. "I know you're supposed to protect me. But I'm not as helpless as most would be. I've studied about the world, even if I haven't seen it."

"I know. Just watch your back, kid."

They didn't speak again for the rest of the night.

* * *

"You don't have to walk me back."

"I'm insulted. I'd think you don't want me around." Tygra assumed a wounded look and Cheetara bit the inside of her cheek.

"Look, I can be honest with you, right?"

"I should hope so."

"Okay. I really don't need you hanging around underfoot. You distract Mama and Daddy. We're busy enough in the morning with cleaning without keeping you entertained." She said all this gently, airily, and Tygra did not seem offended.

"I can entertain myself, thank you. Besides, Father's going to a merchant's meeting today. What else am I supposed to do? Dera's not got much in the way of excitement. I'll be good…mostly."

The path was cool and quiet in the morning, only a few other cats on the road. One rode by in a cart and Cheetara shifted to avoid the wheels. The market moved from street to street in Dera's Run, as few merchants had the money to purchase a permanent storefront. Slings of colored cloth and metal tables and counters were set up along this street; some of the local farmers had brought their goods today and were sitting behind the crops.

She'd meant to drop off the mended tunic with one of the maids but Tygra had been up and – of course – decided to grace her with his company on the way back to the Fancy Feline Inn and Tavern. Other than travel and help with his father's business and carry messages there wasn't much else he had to do; he was technically a noble and therefore obligated toward politics but he always had his hand in some new hobby or toy, particularly engineering. It was easy to see why someone so flighty would get bored in a place like this. "You like being around your mother. If you're so bored in Dera, why do you come back?"

"Well, other than to bask in your delightful company…"

"Uh huh." Her arms crossed and she snorted.

"It's always freezing up there, and I've got too much of Dad in me to tolerate the ice for long. And Dad likes me around. I think it would hurt him if I stayed with her permanently." This last part was added with slightly less bravado and Cheetara's amusement faded.

"I see." The separation was an unpleasant subject that had to be handled like a hot plate. Tygra didn't say anything else though; he paused and nudged her arm. She stopped and followed his gaze past a market stall. A wolf was there, leaning on a bench and panting heavily. Most skirted around him, giving him uneasy glances. Cheetara took a few steps toward him even when Tygra sucked in a breath of disapproval. "Excuse me, are you okay?"

He didn't look up. Naked, the wolf was jet black and lean, probably her age. His nose was handsome for a canine and he was tall, haunches shivering, and she felt heat from him even here. His ears were flat against his skull, mouth open. Perhaps he'd been mugged.

Cheetara stopped when she saw the drool running down his gums and heard the popping of bubbles. Foam was in his throat. She took a slow step away.

The wolf's head snapped up, green eyes wide and tearing. His nose was running and he made a choking noise, making the spittle course harder, dripping on the ground. Cheetara felt for her staff and her ear twitched when she heard some of the cats shutting doors and locking windows.

"What's wrong with him?" Tygra asked softly. "Rabies?" It was a dreaded disease, but rare. It made Cheetara take another step back.

The wheezing breaths sounding like ripping lungs and the wolf bared his teeth in a snarl. He was hunched over now, curled knuckles nearly hitting the ground. His spine jutted and his body seized.

And then it seemed to swell, muscles breaking and fur stretching to cover newer, bigger body. Cheetara's fur stood on end and she heard Tygra take the Creator's name in vain. What had been a bipedal wolf stood on four legs, thick as bent young trees. Its chest was as big as an ale barrel and its neck bulged with a bark. His fingers had shortened and thickened, hands turning into meaty claws and paws and pads.

The beast tore its front paws from the ground and howled, primal. Cheetara clapped her hands to her ears; it felt like someone had crushed her head between two boulders.

When the noise stopped her ears rang, and she activated her staff, both ends extending and the blades sliding out. The wolf hunched up, tail crooked, and cocked its head.

Then it was running, legs pumping toward them, shaking the earth with its weight.

Cheetara heard the crack of a whip and lowered herself into a run, feet darting out like flames. The wolf skidded as she passed, snapping at her, teeth closing only on the wind. Cheetara whirled around to see the creature sniffing, puzzled by her disappearance. She whistled and it peered over its own tail to see her fifty feet away.

No one was as fast as she was. Not even a four-legged, mad beast.

The spit-laden mouth dripped more when it snarled, turning toward her, but its throat suddenly closed and it began to choke. Tygra shimmered into view, his invisibility wearing off as he used his whip to cut off the wolf's air. "You need a doctor my fine, hairy nonfel." He clung to the thick ruff as the wolf shook and flailed, tossing its head. "Cheetara, give him a few volts! He'll wreck the stalls!"

As he yelled one great paw lashed out, shattering a wooden stand and sending young plants flying across the street. Cheetara nodded and Tygra jumped clear, springing to the top of the nearest stall.

To build up a charge in her staff required speed – the internal mechanisms responded to the friction of air molecules moving through it, or so Tygra had decided – and that was something she had plenty of. One side and then the other, Cheetara rebounded against the walls in two seconds and leaped high into the air, landing on the back of the wolf. She stabbed the end of her staff down, deep into the dirty, thick fur.

Lights flashed in her eyes and a high yelp, constricted and faint, told her the wolf was done. She jumped down to the ground and watched as the beast wavered, fur smoking. Then he fell, tottering over and slumping on the ground. Cheetara then darted forward, hastily undoing the whip. Tygra seemed annoyed by the gesture but she couldn't leave the creature to suffocate like that.

One by one cats began coming out of the stores, shaking and whispering. Cheetara felt the heaviness of one of the limp paws and found she could barely lift one of its forelegs. "We're going to need chains for him when he wakes up."

Tygra stooped beside her, looking at the feral wet face. "I can think of an easier way of dealing with a crazy mutt…"

She gave him a deadly look and he shut up. Touching the bruises around its neck, Cheetara felt something strange; a small knot in his pelt rolled between her fingers. "There's something under his skin here."

The clatter of armor made them stand up. There weren't many guards patrolling the city but there were several to guard the nobles' homes, and the sound of screaming and howling had drawn a few to the stalls. Their armor was rough and brown and their chests were emblazoned with the black and red Cat of Thundera. What metal there was to their armor was often poor-fitting.

Their faces were white under their fur, but to their credit the guards brought powerful binders for the creature's legs and a muzzle for his teeth, and they attached them with care. Cheetara watched in silence, even when it took ten of them to haul the beast onto a cart meant for transporting meat from the butcher's store. It was the only one strong enough to bear something so heavy. A crowd ended up gathering to watch the procession. Dera's Run only had so many exciting things happen after all.

Cheetara put her staff away, realizing that her heart had finally started to slow and that there was sweat where her hair met her fur. She'd never seen anything quite like that, and the warmth of the morning felt cold in its wake.

"What was wrong with that guy?" she asked aloud.

"He didn't react well to the new Mutation. Most people don't."

Cheetara turned around and Tygra followed suit, eyes narrowing at the speaker. She recognized the hood and cloak from yesterday, along with the gleaming goggles. "Excuse me?"

"Mutation. You've heard of it, you were talking about it yesterday." The cat's voice was calm, interested, not terribly deep. He was watching the cart shrink as the guards toted it further and further away.

"Sure, but I've seen Mutation users. They're junkies, not freaks of nature," Tygra said. His yellow eyes searched the unfamiliar face. "Who are you anyway?"

"Just a traveler. But Mutation is what caused that change, and it's not the same kind it's been. It's been in the north until now." The stranger's lips lowered in a frown. "You both did very well. I'm glad it was a weaker one."

"'Weaker one?' Excuse me?" Tygra began, indignant. Cheetara put a hand in front of his face, hushing him.

"How do you know Mutation caused that? I've only ever heard of it making people stronger and mean, not…monsters."

The cat started walking and Cheetara found herself following along beside him. It took Tygra a moment to start forward. "The enemies of Thundera have been altering the formula from a temporary drug into something else, and one's genetic structure determines how they react. That poor guy might not have known what he was getting. He was probably only expecting a boost for a fight." He paused. "I'll be back tonight, I think I can help him. I have to get something."

Tygra was on his other side now, disbelieving. "And you happen to know about all this how?"

The cat shrugged. "I live out west. All the gossip makes its way west."

Cheetara couldn't see his arms or belt under his cloak, so she kept one eye trained on his torso in case he went for a knife – one could never be too careful with strangers – and the other watched her path ahead. "So Mutation really has been increasing in trade up north."

"Unfortunately. Maybe not just there." He hesitated. "I'm sorry, but I've said too much as it is. I have an errand to run, so if you don't mind…"

"That's it? You expect to tell us some random fact and then shoo us away? I don't think so," Tygra said. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I'm after a map or two at the moment. I was on my way to pick it up." The cat glanced at them and Cheetara met his eye. At least, she thought she did. The reflective surface hid his irises.

"You're from the Imperial City, right?" He lifted a shoulder. "What else have you heard about Mutation?"

He kept walking. "I've heard it's spreading and that it's making travel even more dangerous. It's causing trade issues and Thundera's enemies are at the center of it, and it's present in most every country at this point."

"Real informative, aren't you?" Tygra observed wryly. The cat said nothing and Tygra waved a hand in dismissal. "Whatever. Cheetara, we'd better get to the tavern. Your parents will worry if they hear about this."

"I guess so." She nearly stopped following the other cat but suddenly started again. "You know what, you go ahead and tell them what happened. I'll be back soon."

"What?" Tygra gave the other cat a mistrustful look and the hood turned as if uneasy at their presence. "Cheetara, you don't even know this guy."

"I do know Tabbsy though. Don't worry, I just have a couple questions. Have you ever met anyone that could best me in a fight?" She patted the staff at her belt. "Go on. I'll be back before an hour's passed."

Tygra's face darkened and he turned around. "Fine. Do what you want." The hooded figure slowed as Tygra left, watching him walk away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you fight with your boyfriend."

"He's just a friend. And we're always fighting. We like it." Cheetara walked beside him now, close enough that they were both out of the way of the carts and people in the earthy road. "Not that it's any of your business."

"It's probably not. Nor is the reason I need a map any of yours," he added. She could just see his mouth beyond the edge of the hood and it seemed to be quirked in amusement.

"Touché. I'll settle for finding out what you know about Mutation in the north. My family's business relies on trade being good and if things don't get better soon, we're going to lose a supplier to our tavern. Dera's Run imports what it can't make itself, which is a lot unfortunately." They turned a corner and she saw his smile fade under the shadow of taller, marginally newer buildings. The smell of metal was stronger here, the clink of technology bright. "We rely on low prices to survive."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

She folded her arms behind her back, lowering her eyelids. "You said something about Mutation changing. Is it becoming a more potent drug or something? Cheaper? What is it?"

He stopped by a door made of glass and metal frames and reached under his hood. Removing the goggles, he set them on his forehead and Cheetara blinked; his eyes were blue like her father's, but a few shades darker. He had a pert little nose and a young face, her age or perhaps a smidge younger. But his face was an unfamiliar color, light brown, and darker brown on the upper half of his face and cutting dark angles on his cheeks made her tilt her head. He was exotic compared to the mixed breeds around here. She couldn't quite see what color his hair was. Altogether he was rather cute. "The royals in the Imperial City have been receiving reports about the Alliance using a new form of Mutation. They seem to be…infecting others. And sometimes these people disappear."

The Alliance…Cheetara's fur bristled. Made up of several species, the Alliance was a large force that attacked Thundera's cities when they were at their weakest. It was a few hundred years old, many of the members the descendants of the original founders. There was fighting and plenty of murder within the group, and half the time the commanders had already been killed, replaced, and then killed again by the time the cats learned a new name. The kings had always been able to beat them back, letting them survive outside Thundera and leaving them alone for the most part. The Alliance was always weak, a confused clan of dissimilar beings with no real order, no real chance. "Nonfel scum" would've been Tygra's description. It would have been more effort and cost than it was worth to head into the wilds to hunt down every single one of the inept groups.

And then Mutation was created.

It took the form of a green powder initially, derived from a crystalline green mineral, and could be smoked or ingested. Either way it provided several hours of increased strength and ferocity afterwards. Once the stuff of Coliseum battles for the sport of higher ups in the cities, a few black-hearted merchants had gotten their greasy hands on the substance and learned to synthesize the drug themselves. Suddenly hundreds of cats were using it for fights, for self-defense, for anything that could be solved with a strong arm. Criminals stole it and victims bought it so they could stand a chance in a fight.

Mutation was quickly outlawed in Thundera, and use was hidden in the dark alleys and the outskirts of towns. It was only a matter of time before the Alliance got their claws into it and tried to use it themselves. "Changing it huh? How?" Cheetara waited as he considered her question.

"You saw the wolf. They're making it more powerful. It makes the users strong by mutating their bodies, and they're always looking for ways to make the change last longer, be better. It also comes in a liquid form now for easy injection."

"Could they stand against Thundera's armies?"

"Not right now. Not on their own. But that's another thing…we're not sure they're on their own anymore." He turned to the door and opened it, pausing and looking at her, stepping aside so she could precede him. She raised an eyebrow. "You're following me anyway, aren't you?"

Cheetara felt for her staff and then entered Tabbsy's store. She'd been there twice and knew its owner well enough to trust it was safe. The corners were cluttered with boxes of paper and parchment, but the walls had screens installed, all of them showing digital maps of different places. The floor was designed to look like one big, ancient map of the Imperial City, but untold numbers of feet and soles had worn it away until only the borders of the grand city were left. The store had once made a tidy profit, but there were few enough explorers anymore. Cheetara looked to the front desk where Tabbsy was, sitting and tinkering with something. He looked up, an old brown cat with silver in his fur and chipped claws. He held a chip in his hands and smiled. "Hello Cheetara. Is this a friend of yours?"

She glanced at the cat. He had not removed his hood. "Not exactly. Just having a conversation."

Tabbsy got up, bowed back creaking like his chair. "Well, I've finished your order young cat. It's a rather interesting request, but I've gotten the most in depth map together that it's possible to get." He showed him the small, silvery chip and said, "It should be compatible with any machine reader that's been crafted in the last thirty years to whatever comes out next moon turn."

He walked to one of the screens and placed it in the dark box under it. Immediately the screen began displaying a map, latitudes and longitudes and tiny symbols. "If you want a particular place you look it up. Enter the name and it'll find it." The cat examined the map and nodded.

"It looks great, thanks. And the other one…?"

Tabbsy took out the chip and returned to his desk, picking up a worn piece of parchment and unrolling it, displaying its contents. "A map of all the legendary things and places of Third Earth. Can't say I think it's sensible, but it goes all the way back to ancient times, when the spirit pride ran strong in the land. Or so the legends say." He handed it over and gave the cat a doubtful look. "Are you sure you can afford these? No offense, but they're not cheap to make and find."

In answer the blue-eyed cat took out a coin pouch and placed it in Tabbsy's hand. Tabbsy turned it over, emptying its contents into his hand. His yellow eyes widened; gold pieces glittered up at him, twenty of them.

"Thank you for your help; I'm sure these maps will be very useful." The cat smiled and turned to leave. Cheetara had never seen so much gold and gave the stranger a hard look before following him, not even telling the stunned Tabbsy goodbye.

"…So what is a guy that can drop twenty gold pieces on a map doing in Dera's Run? Since, y'know, you're not going to tell me your name or anything." Cheetara tried to see the paper map but he'd folded it neatly and put it in his cloak before she could read anything.

"Getting a good map. And besides, you never introduced yourself to me either." Cheetara blinked, trying to recall their snatched conversations.

"You know my name. You've heard people say it."

"That doesn't count as an introduction."

She crossed her arms. "All right, you win. My name is Cheetara. And you are?"

He smiled and said nothing. Cheetara's claws tensed. "Now you're just being annoying."

"You said I wouldn't tell you my name. I wouldn't want to make a lady wrong." He said this almost sincerely and Cheetara resisted the urge to curse. Noticing her frigid silence, he actually turned his head to look at her. "I'm sorry. I'm on a mission and I can't risk telling anyone too much about it. I've told you far too much already."

"A mission from the Imperial City and you know a lot about Mutation…how interesting. Perhaps you've been sent from a noble's house?" He looked surprised and blushed, brow furrowing. "Yes, someone important sends you to do…what? Get maps? Why would you need maps? Particularly old ones? Are you traveling to an old place? Why wouldn't they send you with maps in the first place?"

The cat gave her a long, irritated look. "You're making this very difficult."

Cheetara gazed at his face and couldn't help but snort. His mouth was pretty and small in annoyance and his big, blue eyes were hard to take seriously combined with his pout. "I'm not trying to offend you, but you look like an angry bunny. Anyone ever tell you that you have a rabbit nose?" It was a term for straight, pert noses that was common in Thundera, if not exactly a compliment.

His expression cooled almost to stone, and Cheetara was alarmed and sorry at the same time. "Yes." Trying to walk faster, he tried to avoid her by ducking around another person. He didn't get far; she was much faster than he, cutting him off before he could take five steps.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's actually kind of cute. Lots of girls like a little nose like that. It's much better than some gigantic beak, isn't it?" She tweaked it and he looked so dumbfounded that she had to fight the urge to laugh again. "All I want is your name. I accept that you've got some important duties to attend to. But I'd like to be able to attach a name to a face."

The cat stopped in the shade of a clothing store and Cheetara extended a hand. "Let's start this again. My name's Cheetara. You are?"

It took a moment but at last the cat put out his arm in turn and gripped her hand gently. He kissed the middle knuckle of her middle finger in the Imperial City style. "My name is Lion-O."

"'Lion-O' huh? 'A son of Leon, a king of beasts.' I would assume you're a lion then."

One side of his mouth rose. "I hope so."

Such a name was fairly common among Imperials and she was a little disappointed by that. It didn't tell her anything. "Well, 'Lion-O,' if ever you did feel like divulging a little more information, you remember where the Fancy Feline is. I might buy you a drink if you were up for a chat." She turned away, tail flicking. "I mean it. People in Dera's Run are getting scared. Any news, even bad, would be appreciated."

Lion-O said nothing and she left, let down. But there was work to be done and a business to tend.

* * *

Cheetara turned the dial on the wall so the music playing was less static-y. The machine installed was getting old, and some fuses needed replacing, but the stations from the closer transmitters came through clear enough. She picked up more dirty plates with one hand and carried them back to Yamese.

What she'd said had been true; people in Dera's Run were getting scared. It had been slight before, but now the fear would certainly grow with tales of a wolf turning into something rabid. Cheetara thought of the hot breath and the violence in his jaws and couldn't help but check for her staff again. A "weaker one?" What was a strong one then?

"Kitten, are you all right? You missed a tip Ferrol left you." She started, noticing the copper and taking it, tucking it into a pouch on her belt. She saved what she made and helped pay bills with what she could, and it wasn't like her to miss such generosity.

"Sorry Daddy. I was thinking about the wolf from earlier." Cheetara had told her parents what had happened – Tygra tended to dramatize a bit, and she didn't recall him rescuing anyone or running along rooftops – and both of them had been alarmed. Still, no one had been hurt and Cheetara had never been bested yet. A short rebuke had been administered and Cheetara filed it away.

Her fighting skills were unconventional and she was only partly trained, which made her particularly dangerous. She fought like someone who aimed to win, not like someone in a match, and she combined her speed with the moves she'd observed in street fights all her life to blend an unpredictable sort of style. Not that she wouldn't love to train in actual fighting styles. There were enough creeps asking for a beating out there that learning how to do it proper could be useful.

Yamese shook his head slightly, indicating she shouldn't talk about the wolf around the evening crowd. Sore tempers were present after bad days at work and this was their chance to unwind, not get more upset. His forehead creased in worry and she kissed his cheek. "Don't worry, everything's fine. I was just wondering about where he came from."

"I'd prefer him to be sent back there and that be the end of it. The last thing we need are ruffians." He patted her arm. "You're tired, sweetheart. Why don't you sit down, I'll have Mama whip up some dinner for you. Take an evening off."

"You don't need to do that Daddy. I'm fine." But he clucked his tongue and prodded her until she rolled her eyes and sat down. "Honestly…"

The door opened and Yamese smiled at those who entered. Cheetara's shoulders tensed. It wasn't a very warm smile, just an automatic response. She dared to look over her shoulder.

It looked like a group of about twenty men, the leader of which was a paunchy lizard. He had a webbed crest and pebbly skin, darker green on his back than his sickly pale front. Hard muscles bulged in his thighs like a bullfrog's, and Cheetara took in the weapon on his back. It was a massive double-headed ax, and it was made of silver and black metal. Lizardmen mined ore and refined it black for battle. It was nearly unbreakable to hear the stories.

Behind him were a few lizardmen and a couple of wolves, both black as ink with long whiskers. He approached the bar and his bland eyes reminded her of eggs wrapped in loose sacks. "I'm looking for a wolf."

The voice was precise, hissing. Cheetara hoped her mother would stay in the back.

"A wolf? I can't say I've seen many here. We have a few jackalmen, and a pack of wolves did stop by a few days ago." Yamese offered the lizard a list of their drinks. The eyes took it in and slid back up without accepting it.

"This one would be black. We tracked him to this city. He had a chip implanted in him, so we know he's here."

The entire tavern was silent, no one lifting their drinks. Cheetara thought back to the hard object in the wolf's skin and rested her elbows on the counter, thinking. If he'd had a chip in him, he must have either been a criminal – they were chipped if they were murderers in Thundera, although the practice was rare nowadays because a smart man with steady hands and hard nerve could dig one out – or he might have been a member of the Alliance. Cheetara had heard they chipped all their operatives so they could find them if they were captured.

But this mad creature wouldn't have been able to get rid of the chip or take orders. Something about this smelled rotten indeed.

"Ah. Well, I can't say I've seen him then." Yamese wouldn't have known what the wolf looked like, but Cheetara didn't like the way the lizard was looking around.

"…That is unhelpful." Some of the lizards were looking at each other with their gleaming eyes and Cheetara had to fight to keep her hackles down when the head lizard's hand drifted to his belt, claws flexing.

"He was arrested earlier," she said. Yamese shot her a look but the lizard turned his gaze to her, and the swollen sac under his throat made her feel sick. She wondered if there were venom glands in there or some kind of air sac for swimming. "A black wolf was wandering around and started acting crazy. There was a chip in him. The guards took him away. I saw it in the street."

This didn't please the lizard. His expression grew surlier and Cheetara wondered if she'd made a mistake, placing her claws gently on her staff. "It would have been difficult to arrest him."

"Yeah, well, Dera's Run had dealt with a few threats before," she said, not combatively.

"Is that so? And where might the prison be in this…city?"

Cheetara lowered her brows, putting a girlish finger to her chin. "Not sure. You could ask a guard, see if you could pay his bail or something. They should be making the night rounds."

Unfortunately the lizard was not stupid and picked up on her lie, if the way his lower teeth suddenly became slightly visible. They were tiny and sharp, and his lips were wet. "I don't think you're being honest, girl."

"Don't pay her any mind," Yamese said quickly. "She's a bit fiery, but she means well. My daughter's a bit too used to the tavern scene, it's my fault I suppose-"

She turned away from the bar and stood up. She was taller than the lizard and she loomed over him quietly. "I think it'd be best if you left, sir. Surely a guard would be of better assistance." Her fingers closed around her staff and she smiled widely. Showing her sharp, pearly teeth. The patrons glowered at the newcomers, eyes bright as candles.

The lizard's lips curled. Before he could say anything, a hand touched his shoulder and he blinked, looking up.

A familiar blue hood was next to them. Cheetara glanced at the door. She hadn't heard Lion-O come in. "The prison is in the center of the city. Three streets over and a league forward will take you to her." He smiled naively.

The lizard jerked his arm out of the lion's grip. "Who said you could touch me?"

"Sorry. Just wanted to help." Cheetara frowned at him and the lizardmen murmured in their own language, clicks and hisses.

"I was talking to the lady. But I suppose you've answered my question." But when he turned away the lizard's thick tail swatted Lion-O, knocking him forward and into the counter, upending a bottle that splashed brown liquid over his clothes. He grunted and Cheetara stared, wondering at how strong the lizard was to knock over a grown cat with such ease. Maybe Lion-O was just a wuss. "Whoops. Sorry."

Titters around the bar made her glare at the customers before kneeling to help Lion-O up. He didn't seem upset, brushing himself off with a vague, silly smile. "No problem."

The lizard grunted and with that his group filed out, leaving the tavern without another word. One of them opened his large hand and raked his claws against the wall, leaving languid scratches on the wood. The scratching noise took a while to fade, as if the nails had run against their eardrums. After the lizardmen left the conversation returned, building to a dull roar, washing out the silence.

Lion-O's smile faded and he looked at her with a dark, serious stiffness to his jaw. "Those guys could have destroyed this tavern without a problem. Don't cross their path on your own."

Cheetara bristled and her hackles finally rose. "Excuse me? I'm not some little barmaid. Who are you to order me around?"

He shut his eyes and his nostrils flared. "You're a good fighter. But going up against all of those guys at once in a little bar would have been a bad idea. They're not above smashing a place to pieces. I had no idea they would be in this city…"

"Do you know them? Or are you just stalking me as retribution for me stalking you earlier?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed. "I know of them. And I'm pretty sure coming in here to keep your family's business from being completely destroyed in a fight does not constitute stalking, Cheetara." She noticed the beer dripping down his cloak and face and she felt a little bad. "They meant to get that wolf back and they're going to, one way or the other."

Lion-O turned around and started for the door. "Hey, where are you-?"

"You want the prison destroyed? I'm going to see what I can do to get things resolved without putting anyone in danger." He put on the goggles and adjusted his hood so his face was better concealed. "Just stay here. This doesn't concern you or anyone in Dera's Run."

And with that he was gone, out into the evening air and orange light. Cheetara stared after him, aware that her father was watching. "You're not following him," he said at last.

"…I guess not." She sat back down at the bar, leaning on the counter. The alcohol smelled harsh and Yamese mopped it up with a clean cloth. "Something weird is going to happen, Dad. I don't like this."

He paused. "Are you getting one of those feelings?"

"Yeah." Cheetara had good instincts, and this was not the first time she'd gotten a weird impression. It made her head hurt and she got a dry feeling on her tongue. Anticipation. Her mother – unaware that anything had happened – poked her head through the window to the back of the bar.

"Honey, do you want me to cut the bread on your plate into quarters?"

Cheetara blinked. "Mom, I don't need you to cut the bread anymore. I'm a grown cat."

"Oh, I suppose I don't remember last week when you wanted it cut into fourths just like when you were little and would pretend they were tea cakes for your dollies-"

"Mom!"

* * *

"I can't believe that! What kind of uppity lizard does something like this to a cat's business?" Tygra was inspecting the scratch marks with an outraged expression, running his thumb over the uneven surface.

"We can buff those out for the most part." Cheetara nudged him. "You're blocking the door."

"That's not the point! They think they can get away with making trouble here, where is it going to go? They're forgetting their place." Tygra put his hands on his hips and Cheetara dragged him by the sleeve so he was by the bar.

"You're something, you know that? The first thing out of your mouth is about how a 'lizard' did something instead of, 'Are you guys okay?' I don't care if it's a lizard or the king himself scratching up the walls."

Tygra had the shame to look chastened. "Well…you guys are okay right?"

"Obviously."

"Well, then, what's the point of asking?" He shook his head. "Women. You say one thing and they rip it out of context…"

Deciding to ignore this Cheetara looked at the stain on the counter where the beer had splashed. It would come out with some scrubbing, but that wasn't what bothered her. "I'm still wondering about what that Lion-O guy knew."

Tygra crossed his arms, quirking a brow. "Is this going to become a thing with you? You get obsessed with random weirdoes?"

"Hush, I'm trying to think. He said he was going to the prison last night. The lizardmen were heading there after that wolf." Cheetara moodily leaned through the kitchen window. "Mama, I'm going to get some more ingredients, what do you need?"

"Oh! Flour, eggs if there are any, two bushels of Candyfruit…and I think that's it. Do you need money?" Her mother had been writing on a checklist to take stock of the kitchen's larder. "Is Tygra going with you? Get him a little something, it's sweet of him to help out around here."

Cheetara's face was neutral. "Sure. And I've got money."

"Don't worry ma'am, I'll look after Cheetara. I know how to keep her out of trouble." Tygra smiled at her and Cheetara stepped on his foot very gently on her way to the door. "Ouch."

"Don't be a pansy. And you've gotten me in trouble more than I get you in trouble."

"True. But it's fun trouble, right?" She gave him a weird look and started walking.

However Cheetara did not turn in the direction of the farmer's stalls. She darted across the street and headed in the opposite direction and Tygra followed without protest for about three minutes, weaving in and out of the people on the road. It was early afternoon by now and the air smelled of lunch foods and steamed fish.

"So, where are you going exactly?" he asked, arms tucked neatly behind his back.

"Toward the prison. I'll stop by the market after that." Cheetara kept up a swift walk, not wanting Tygra to exhaust himself keeping up.

"Here's a good question; why?"

"To see if anything happened last night."

Tygra didn't ask anything else, merely sighing. Cheetara saw one of the dark guard towers of the prison before the bulk of the building came into view. It was black and brown, metal and dark stone, and as they drew closer the people thinned like soup in water until they were wandering thin, dank alleys alone. The prison was in a sparse place because no one wanted to be nearby if there were ever a breakout. Not to mention some of the guards had nasty tempers when they got off duty, which was bad for businesses to deal with. Nothing but old, abandoned houses littered the streets here, the prison being one of the oldest places built in Dera's Run.

It needed to be updated; it resembled nothing so much as an old dungeon with a few shiny machines installed in unfitting places. The thick metal bars blocking the gates and windows made observers feel safer, but Cheetara could smell blood and wondered if it always smelled that way. The rights of prisoners were even less argued than those of lizardmen.

"Wait. Something's wrong." Tygra caught her arm and sniffed the air. Cheetara glanced at him and watched his eyes search the great wall surrounding the prison. His ears perked. "There should be more noise. The guards are always talking. Do you hear them?"

She listened. Nothing but the wind greeted them. "No. Are they all inside?"

"It's against protocol." Tygra stepped up to the gate and looked inside the thick bars.

Then he grabbed her and took out his whip, slinging it around them. Cheetara felt the unpleasant sensation of icy water and realized that Tygra had turned them both invisible. "What is it?" she asked softly. He released her from his almost uncomfortable grip, the icy cord of the whip still twined around them.

"Look." He was breathless, terse, and Cheetara looked inside the bars and covered her mouth.

No fewer than twenty guards sat inside the yard, all bound together in groups of three and gagged with burlap. Some were slumped over with bloody helms, unconscious. And pacing around them, talking in the softest hisses imaginable, were the lizards and wolves from yesterday. Their fur and scales were bloody and dirty, and she felt her claws flex when the fat lizard came into view.

Tygra was invisible to her – only the bearer of the whip could see the invisible – but she felt him pushing her to the protection of the wall. "Don't say you told me so," he muttered. Cheetara pressed her back to the stone and peeked inside again when he reappeared. The whip couldn't keep two people invisible for long.

"Wasn't going to." She drew in a sharp breath. "It's Lion-O! He's in there too!"

"What?" Tygra followed her finger and cursed. Lion-O was awake and his hood was down for once, revealing thick, burgundy-red hair tied back in a short, messy ponytail. A few thick strands fell over his forehead and he looked decidedly rumpled. He was watching the lizard walk and Cheetara saw a little blood on his lip. He'd been in a fight, and his hands were cuffed with a set of manacles that the guards often carried. "Hey, it's that wolf from the other day too," Tygra noted. Cheetara saw him as well, sitting on his hindquarters and shivering, still naked. No longer a beast, he looked small and skinny and afraid, arms locked behind him in bindings. She almost felt sorry for him.

Lion-O's darker fur on his brow reminded her of bronze and his expression was a very neutral one. "I'm surprised you have enough Mutation to waste on random people."

"'Waste' nothing, cub. The one in charge has some big plans in the works, and the Alliance is the main force for it. In light of that, why worry about a little experimentation now? We'll have plenty soon." One of the lizards had spines all over his body and his tongue was forked. He knelt, grinning with his tiny, needle-like teeth. "You're not too bright following us here. Or haven't you dealt with the Alliance before?"

"Stop talking to him." The fat lizard stalked toward Lion-O and glowered at him. "He's playing dumb. He's trying to get information. A lion from the west can only be an Imperial spy for the noble houses."

Cheetara and Tygra exchanged a glance. A spy? Why would a spy be in Dera's Run?

"I suppose I might be. But what's that matter? I'm a hostage now, aren't I?" Lion-O looked around. "It's hard to find good guards I guess."

"Maybe they need a little mutant in them." One of the wolves kicked a guard. He coughed and slumped over. "There's an idea. We could test this on cats. We can use the chaos to slip out and head back up toward the mountain valley and meet the-"

"Shut up." The fat lizard grabbed Lion-O's hair and lifted him off the ground by it. Lion-O's face screwed up in pain and Cheetara felt the hairs on the back of her neck curl in sympathy. "He doesn't need to know about that. None of these cats do. But we have a little on us…let's set three of them loose on the city. We'll still have a good stock for the journey." The damp eyes became slits. "This one's first. One of you hold him and I'll get the hypodermic."

Cheetara looked at Tygra. "They're…I think they're going to use Mutation on him."

"One could assume that." He frowned and gestured for her to come with him. "We need to get more guards. There should be a reserve watching the market."

"Are you kidding? He needs help now!" Cheetara backed up from the wall, hopping from foot to foot to warm up her legs. "You go if you're scared. I'm fast, I'll beat them down before they can use any Mutation."

"Wait, no! You're going to get yourself killed over a stranger?" he demanded.

"There are about twenty guards in there that have lived here their whole lives. You call them strangers?" Her voice was cold and before he could speak again, Cheetara was charging forward toward the uneven wall.

She was a screech of golden light and she used the speed to propel herself up the short wall like she was running up a cobblestone hill, claws digging in. In a moment she was over the wall, and in another she was a golden blaze in the sky, staff aloft.

"What-?"

"Who-?"

Cheetara distinctly heard these words before she came crashing down like hellfire on the lizardmen and wolves, staff whirling. Three skulls connected with the metal and she rolled forward, ducking under the quickest ones' weapons. The blades came out on her staff and she stabbed backward and then forward, taking out the lizard right behind her and then the one right in front of her.

They had armor, but her speed made connecting with the staff feel like being hit with an electrified club.

Five of them hit the ground without a sound and Cheetara took a second to assess the situation. The remainder of the group looked stunned save for the fat one, who simply looked angry like a boiled egg.

Lion-O's expression changed for the first time, lips parting and brows high. She noticed that his goggles were around his neck like a little boy's. It was dorky and kind of cute. "Okay, who else wants to end up that way?"

The fat lizard approached, claws chipping bits of stone out of the ground under his weight. "You shouldn't be here, bargirl."

"Neither should you. Criminals belong behind 'bars.'" She lifted her staff when she saw him reaching for his ax. It was a magnificent thing, serrated and long, and Cheetara eyed the blades. It seemed immensely heavy; he wasn't all chub to be able to lift something like that.

He swung the ax and she just barely ducked back in time; the ax blade came loose, whirling toward her like a boomerang, and she felt the air over her face suddenly blast as it sliced into where her neck had been. With a singing note it returned to the ax handle and the lizard paced a little closer, hips shifting with predatory grace unfitting for such a large creature. It was a practiced move, one that didn't make him stumble at all.

This might be bad.

The sound of two more lizardmen collapsing made her jerk her head to the side. Tygra had kicked one from above and used his whip to pull another one into the wall. The lizard snarled. "How many more are we going to have to deal with?"

Cheetara heard a lizard behind her and turned around, staff meeting a curved sword. This lizard had dark scales, nearly black, and red spots on his face and back. He hissed at her and a frill of thin flesh rose up, startling her, but she kept her stance, shifting into the next one by swiping out with her leg and kicking his stomach. He grunted and swung his blade. Cheetara avoided it and then spun, feeling the hot breath of a wolf behind her. She kicked out, catching sight of Tygra between two lizards with his whip darting and stinging, but she also spotted another grungy lizard coming toward her. Three on one was something she'd faced before, but she sensed a difference between the untrained cats she'd fought and these.

These were brutish and poorly trained, but they were warriors. She felt method to their movements, and Cheetara realized that two semi-talented fighting cats versus a dozen warriors was going to end with someone furry getting hurt.

It didn't help that there were unconscious groups of bodies littering the ground, and one wrong move could lead to one getting beheaded. But leaving them to get pumped full of Mutation would hardly have been better, so she refused to doubt her decision.

Cheetara felt something hard nick her arm and she bit her lip, sprinting between two outstretched arms to get a short reprieve. Tygra did not have this luxury, but he used his whip to vanish, confusing the lizards. Cheetara ran up the wall until her momentum began to fade and she vaulted off of it to flip backwards send electricity through the next wolf that had been running toward the wall to pin her.

A blade sliced into her shoulder. Just a small slit, but it was enough to make her land wrong after bringing down the wolf. The fat lizard caught his blade again and Cheetara saw him pull his arms back as if he were going to release the blade in her direction, and she wondered if she'd be quick enough.

And then a brown blur hit him from behind, wielding a sword that reflected the sun, agonizingly bright. The lizard turned with his teeth bared, swinging the ax only to be met by the sword again.

Lion-O deflected the blade with a grunt and hit the flabby jaw with the flat of his sword, stunning the lizard. Cheetara didn't take time to wonder how he'd gotten free; the reptile in front of her was watching the fight and had left himself open for a staff to the head.

And then she became aware that there were no other lizardmen standing around them, and there was the foreign scent of a new cat. It was deep and muscular, completely unlike Lion-O's airy scent and Tygra huskier one. This one was like sweat and musk and heat, almost overbearing with strength.

A bright light shattered against her pupils and she screamed, hitting the ground. She heard Tygra doing the same and an unfamiliar voice uttering an oath. Heavy footsteps on the rock made her try to open her eyes but Cheetara regretted it when everything looked red and seemed to split her head in two.

It took about a minute but at last she could see without tearing and she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What was that?"

"Flash pellet. Not exactly common to lizards, but General Slithe has never been a fool. That he'd see to this personally is scary." Cheetara slowly got to her feet and saw Lion-O leaning against a wall, still hanging on to a sword. He held his head and she saw Tygra getting up, slightly cross-eyed from the glare. "I thought I asked you to stay out of this."

"Yeah, because you had the situation completely under control." She gestured to the bound guards, some of whom were starting to come around. Lion-O met her gaze and looked tired and slightly sick. "How'd you get out of those manacles?"

"I broke them before I put them on and slipped in with the guards. I let them think they caught me so I could find out more about their plans." Cheetara's jaw dropped but Lion-O didn't look annoyed so much as kind of embarrassed. "Not that it worked. Slithe is too suspicious for that. Dumb plan really."

"Wait, wait. That was a setup?" Cheetara held the bridge of her nose. "But you came here last night…you were going to try to keep people from getting hurt."

"Yes. I managed to distract them long enough to keep them from executing the hostages because I couldn't take them all on my own." Lion-O nodded at the guards, kneeling beside the nearest one so he could unbind his hands. "No lizard can resist trash talking and responding to trash talk. It wasn't a very good plan, but I got a little information and these men are alive."

Cheetara numbly began helping him. "Okay, time out. You pretend to be captured so you can talk to those creeps?" Tygra had not put away his whip yet and was watching Lion-O with cold yellow eyes. "You didn't try to help the guards fight them off? That's crazy…not to mention pretty treasonous."

A loud grunt behind him made him turn around. Cheetara's heart sank under the great shadow behind him and her fingers dropped the cords.

A massive cat stood behind Tygra, fur a stormy mixture of blacks, grays and the vaguest hint of violet where the sun hit him right. He was thickly furred and far taller than Tygra, not to mention twice as broad across the shoulders. His face looked like it had been carved from rock and set with hard features and then covered with a pelt. His nose was short and wide and his eyes were frost-colored. He had no hair, head shaved bald but for his short fur. Most interestingly he wore a black and silver armored tunic – spikes rimming the shoulders – and breeches. A red stone rested on the center of his chest. Within it was the black Cat and Tygra's eyes were about level with it.

"…Well. You're a large fellow, aren't you?" Tygra had to lean back to see his face properly and the cat crossed his muscular arms. Cheetara realized he had some kind of white tattoo on his left shoulder, more like a scar than anything. His biceps bulged and the wide nostrils flared. His jaw was set and Cheetara wondered if Tygra was about to get socked in the face.

"Panthro, it's okay, I've met them. They're not in on any of it." The large cat snorted again and said nothing, stepping around Tygra and striding toward Lion-O and the rest of the bound guards. He managed to undo the ropes and manacles with great ease and slight tugs broke metal and cord alike. "Oh, this is my bodyguard and traveling partner, Panthro," Lion-O added. "Panthro, this is Cheetara and…I think your name is Tygra, right?"

"Uh…yeah." Tygra seemed a little paler than usual in the presence of this massive cat. Cheetara looked around, realizing that this Panthro had been the one that had taken down all the remaining lizards. In mere seconds. Without making a sound.

"By the time I got here they'd already taken over the prison. They've been arguing over what to do with us for hours." Lion-O looked up at the dark cat sheepishly. "Sorry I didn't call for you earlier."

Panthro's jaw tightened and Cheetara heard him growl. "You said you needed antimutagen, and that you wouldn't leave the bar while I went to fetch it." Cheetara looked up when Panthro spoke, marveling at his voice. It was not quite as deep as she had thought, controlled and less frightening than she had imagined.

"I had a lead and I went! I meant to stay put until you came back, I really did, but all these guards would be dead if I didn't go!" Lion-O said. "I'm not completely hopeless at looking after myself."

Another grunt, more exasperated than disapproving. Lion-O seemed heartened. "I did learn a little. Sounds like Mutation's not only being traded in the north, it's being manufactured there and in some Thunderan areas. The Alliance has connections, which explains how lizards have been getting it all the way from the cold lands. And we might have to pass through there on our way, so it's worth knowing. They've been injecting prisoners and sending them out as experiments, but apparently something big is happening in Tropo."

The panther's eyes followed Lion-O as he knelt beside the shivering wolf. He hadn't moved from his place during the battle and Cheetara realized his eyes were bloodshot. "Hey. Are you okay?"

He didn't move and Lion-O felt his forehead. "He's burning up. Panthro, give me the antimutagen." Panthro seemed to disapprove – it took him a second – but he reached into his pocket and withdrew some sort of metal canister, handing it to Lion-O. Cheetara watched in silence, aware that Tygra was paying attention too.

Lion-O popped off the end of the metal tube and Cheetara shivered at the length of the needle that winked at her. Purple liquid flashed at her, the color of petals in wildflowers. "Whoa, hey, what are you-?"

Too late. Lion-O pressed the needle into the wolf's arm. He yipped in pain and Lion-O pursed his lips, pressing the plunger before removing it. Tygra's jaw dropped. "What did you do to the mutt?"

Cheetara was too appalled to get angry about the slight. "What was in that?"

"Antimutagen. Just watch." Lion-O waited beside the wolf, capping the empty needle and stowing it in a pouch on his belt. Cheetara realized she could see below his cloak for the first time, and his clothes were all varying shades of blue mixed with metal. It looked like a ragtag set of armor, and a yellow gauntlet rested on his hip, which was where he tucked the blade. A red stone with the Cat was on his chest as well.

"Y-You…I can talk…"

The wolf. He was panting now, tongue dripping. Tygra took a canteen from a guard – he was too out of it to care – and brought it. He grimaced, passing it to Lion-O who undid the cork and helped the wolf take a drink. It was water and the canine downed it greedily, getting spit all over Lion-O's hand. After half of the canteen was gone when Lion-O took it. "Slow down. You'll be feeling shaky for a while, but you'll be okay if you take things slow. What can you tell us about what happened to you?"

The wolf's shoulders heaved and he shut his eyes. "I…I just wanted some of the low stuff. I had some guys after me and I wanted to be prepared, y'know? Some guy said he could get me Mutation on the cheap because he traded with the Alliance and I took it, not realizing it was…"

He shivered. Lion-O nodded at Panthro, who crushed the manacles holding the wolf, letting him wrap his arms around himself. Tygra made a tutting noise but Cheetara ignored him. "I felt hot. It made me crazy. That northern stuff…I killed all the guys that were after me. I didn't mean to kill 'em like that…I think I ate them, I can't remember…"

Cheetara put her hand on his head and stroked back the dirty fur. Hysterical whimpering in the back of his throat made her ears ache. "And it didn't stop! I wandered here and turned again! It's not supposed to last that long!"

"Calm down. It's okay. That antimutagen will make sure the Mutation won't activate again. It'll work its way out of your system now that it's dormant. You'll be okay." Lion-O's eyes were soft and the wolf looked at him as if he didn't believe him. "It's only been made recently, and we don't have much. As payment, please tell me where you got that Mutation and who gave it to you. We'll see about getting rid of that chip in you so those lizardmen can't track you down again."

The wolf's eyes were streaming. "Thank the Creator for you." And then he embraced Lion-O, weeping. Lion-O seemed stunned at the contact, eyes wide, but then they softened and he hesitantly, awkwardly returned the motion, patting the wolf's back.

* * *

"I got that Mutation…from another wolf. We always trade within our own species, except for the merchants. We thought it was safer. He said the recipe came from Lune but that he traded for it in Tropo. I guess it was all a setup."

Talbot was the wolf's name. He didn't seem to care that he was rimmed by guards with bruises on their heads and bewildered scowls on their faces. All he cared about was devouring the rations he'd been given, and telling Lion-O everything he knew as fast as he could.

The mess hall of a prison was not exactly a place Cheetara had ever cared about seeing, but she did find it worthwhile to see how the guards frisked the lizardmen and other wolves, removing their weapons and several hypodermics from their clothes. They checked surprising places, such as in pants and under crests and in throat sacs, and Cheetara blinked when one reluctantly pulled a sealed needle out of his venom pouch in his mouth.

"Lune? Where the Luna live?" Cheetara had only seen a Luna twice in her life. Their flesh came in every shade from deep violet to light blue to icy white, and they had migrated to the planet's surface though they originated from Thundera's largest frozen moon. Nobody knew why they lived on Thundera, but they had been here for thousands of years if their histories were honest. They enjoyed colder temperatures and mountains, thriving where others fell.

"Mm-hm. He was with one of the packs that crossed the cold lands on his way to rest in Tropo while the women bore their pups. They travel to warmer places with more food if it's a bad year and they're going to have many pups. He had no mate so he stayed behind, trading Mutation. I think he bought it from the Luna. When I took the drug he plugged the chip in my back and ran." Talbot took another bite. "He was probably with the Alliance group that came to fetch me."

"Sounds sort of like they're being shanghaied into fighting for the Alliance. Or at least causing trouble for Thundera," Tygra muttered. He had – unwillingly – deigned to be the one to dig out the chip because of his fine claws and steady hand, and it sat bloody and square on the table beside the food. He was examining it, picking at different wires. The guards had managed to staunch the flow of blood with copious bandages. "These are so they can recover their little troops, or at least detect where they're killed. Probably a way of finding out how far these Mutation addicts get in Thundera's lands and seeing what it does to the different species."

The wolf paused and looked at the chip. It smelled of raw meat. "They would've dissected me. I heard them talking about it. They're in on the Mutation circle, and they're not out for money alone. There are stories about mass infections, but I never heard any details."

Lion-O looked up at the guards. "How far are Tropo and Lune? We're headed near Lune ourselves."

The captain was a grizzled man with white and black fur. He removed his helm respectfully, showing his round, striped ears. "Tropo is on the center line of the planet, on the edge of the peninsula of the ocean, near its borders with the Fel Sea. It has many boat traders, and if you went far enough to the east you could work your way along the coast of the ocean. Most prefer to follow the river to the ocean and travel by ship. It's safer."

Cheetara calculated this out and decided she could make it in a week if she pushed herself. Lion-O nodded. "And Lune?"

"That one is much further. It takes a year or more of walking in good weather to reach Lune's villages and caves, and it can take longer if the snows are moving through. Unless you can take a Luna flying ship it'll be a hard journey whatever way you take, but if you take the straight route from Tropo and you had some kind of vehicle and didn't stop it might take a couple months."

"If you made it there at all with the cutthroats on the way," one murmured softly. He seemed to be a cadet and he blushed when the captain looked at him.

"Granted. The routes are hazardous since the king stopped pressing his attacks against the Alliance's groups. If you start out from Tropo the route goes a little quicker because there's a valley pass through the mountains. The only problem is that an ice shelf forms along the route during the winter. The rest of the year it's fine. Easier journey in about the same amount of time, even if it's out of the way." The captain glanced down at the wolf. "Thank you for your help, young cats. Our men will send out parties to search for more lizardmen. And we shall send this dog west for a trial."

"Hm?" Lion-O had gotten up and was pushing in his chair. "Why?"

"The law. He took part in illegal drug trade. He was part of an illegal group. Such a record could put him in prison for life, if not on the executioner's block." Talbot looked up expectantly, but his tail lowered and he wrapped his blanket around his shoulders more closely.

"He wasn't part of that group. He was their experiment. Granted he traded Mutation, but he didn't know what he was getting. The regular sentence is a few years of labor, not execution. Besides, after all he's been through, I doubt whether he'll even need rehabilitation." Talbot's ears perked at Lion-O's assessment. "I trust you won't be dumb enough to try that kind of substance again, right?"

"No. Never." His eyes widened and his nose dripped.

"Good." Lion-O tapped Panthro on the arm and the larger cat lowered his chin. "What do you think, Panthro? A few years' labor with food and shelter provision is the standard, right?"

He made another noncommittal noise. The captain exchanged glances with his men. "But…well, the sentence for cats is a few years. A non-feline that is found with Mutation is sentenced for at least twenty years…"

Lion-O's eyes narrowed, blue jewels in a copper setting. "The laws have actually been revised as of two months ago; Dera's Run hasn't been keeping up with regulations. According to the new amendment to prison sentencing, the non-feline population can't be given any more than five more years than a cat committing the same crime." He made a face. "It's not nearly fair, but it's a step in the right direction. Send a courier to the Imperial City if you don't believe me. Or better yet, use a message screen if you have one."

Cheetara watched the captain shift uncomfortably and then returned her attention to Lion-O, crossing her arms with distinct interest. An Imperial cat that believed in non-feline rights? He noticed her impressed gaze and glanced the other way. The edges of his ears seemed to redden under brown fur.

She smiled.

"…We'll send a transmission. Not that we don't believe you, it's just protocol." Sheepishly, the captain saluted him. "We owe all of you our lives. If you report back to the Imperial City anytime soon, know that we're going to double the guard in Dera's Run."

Lion-O placed his fingers to his chest, a polite gesture for those that were not in the Thunderan guard to show to those that were.

Panthro cleared his throat. "At ease. You'll do better to enforce the wall search with the new cadets than anything. Teach them how to search and restrain at the entrance to the city and all the gates. Don't bother with looking for more outside the city. Maintain the walls and the paths the traders take. You'll be doing all you can if you do that." Panthro spoke as a commander, and nothing in him brooked questioning.

The captain saluted him. "Sir. This is good advice."

Tygra leaned in. "He told him to be at ease. He's a higher rank if he can order him to do that," he muttered.

"I think we're done here. I'll check up on Talbot on my way back from Tropo and Lune." Lion-O offered nothing other than this and it was understood as a very modest warning. "If you don't mind I'll be leaving now."

"Sir…one question." One of the cadets shrank under his gaze but had the courage to ask, "That antimutagen…where did you get it?"

"A lab in the Imperial City has been working on them. And I'm afraid that's all I can say." Lion-O headed to the door and Panthro followed him. "Cheetara? May I speak with you and Tygra?" He asked this over his shoulder and Cheetara nodded, following him. She could see his tail for the first time and realized that his cloak had been torn quite badly. It had a thick tuft of red hair on its end and a scrape nearer the base.

It wasn't until they'd made it out of the prison gate that Lion-O spoke. "I was expecting it to take longer to get out."

"These men aren't trained very well." Panthro stopped to stand right beside Lion-O and turned at the same time he did. "I'd whip 'em into shape."

"They're doing their best, Panthro. Besides, what could such a small force really do?" Lion-O blinked and continued, "Not to insult Dera's Run you understand. She's a small place."

Tygra put one hand on his hip. "Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

"What?"

"Who are you? You waltz into town acting like you know a million secrets, you bug Cheetara with cryptic comments and then you pretend to be the hostage of a bunch of nonfels to get information about a drug trade, and think you can boss around the guards of Dera's prison?" Tygra would have taken a step toward him but Panthro smelled of a fight and hostility, so he settled for glaring at the lion. "We could have been killed trying to help you and those guards. I think you owe us a story."

"Tygra," Cheetara said. "You'll have to excuse him. He's nosy."

Lion-O smiled. "No, he's right. I apologize for all the trouble. Thank you for helping me, and the guards. It's nice to know there are those who live by the Code."

Tygra raised one eyebrow. "Huh?"

"'To aid those that are surrounded by trouble, to offer kindness to those in need.'" Lion-O paused and looked at Cheetara. "I'm sorry, I thought…"

"I know what you're saying. Tygra's just a big skeptic. He hasn't read the scriptures even once." Her tail flicked. "He's a good guy though. Or he tries to be."

"Oh, religious stuff." He said this as if he'd said, "Fleas." "Look, you two can get high on praises later; right now I want to hear what's going on in the real world." Tygra crossed his arms. "I helped you because Cheetara wanted me to. I would've gone to get more guards before stepping in like that. But she saved you, so you owe her some answers about all this information you've been dangling in her face."

Cheetara rolled her eyes. "I'm right here, thanks."

Lion-O gave her a curious look and finally said, "I suppose he's right. I owe you. Someone could have been seriously hurt if you guys didn't show up."

"I feel obligated to remind you that we can't discuss certain things," Panthro said lowly.

"I know, Panthro." Lion-O searched Cheetara's face and he said, "I'm not going to be able to tell you some things. And I can't tell you why. But I will fill you in on why I'm here."

Cheetara shifted her weight and put her hand to her chin. "Okay. Sounds fair enough."

Lion-O looked around. "Could we go to your family's tavern? It'd be best if we could talk under the cover of conversation." This seemed considerate – better than a dark alley at any rate – and Cheetara led the way back to the Fancy Feline. Panthro attracted wide eyes but after he passed people looked away. A cat was a cat, even if he was the size of a small building.

Cheetara heart was still a little fast from the fight, she realized. Her limbs were warm and her energy hadn't worn off, and her tail whipped back and forth. But something was tugging at her, and not just the anticipation of satisfaction. Her curiosity was flaring, but an alarm was going off.

She stopped. "The fat lizard. He wasn't with the others."

Lion-O bumped into her back and had to grab her arm to keep her from falling over. "What? Slithe?"

"If that's his name. He wasn't there. They didn't take him into the cells. Did he run away when he threw that flash pellet?"

"Most likely. He wouldn't be that easy to capture. It sounds like him to leave behind new recruits to take the heat while he slips away." Lion-O pulled his hood up and tucked what was left of his cloak over his torso. He took special care to cover the hilt of the sword.

The tavern was fairly empty, the lunch rush having left and dinner being a few hours off. Sai was sweeping up and Yamese was in the back, doing the dishes from the sound of plates clattering. "Cheetara, that took you a while. Didn't they have any flour…?"

Sai stopped talking when she looked up. Her eyes were about level with Panthro's belt and she had to tilt her head all the way back, dark ears lowering in surprise. "…Oh. Hello."

"Do we have company dear?" Yamese had suds on his arms and his whiskers stiffened when he saw the size of Panthro. "Good heavens. Um…Cheetara, we're nearly out of flour. I hope you got some in case our guest wants bread."

Panthro shook his head. "No thank you." He didn't sit until Lion-O had, planting himself in the seat right beside the lion. It looked funny, a short lion by a tall panther, a peaceful expression beside a rocky one.

"Sorry Mama. We…well, we ran into trouble. I'll pick up flour before the dinner rush." Instead of sitting down immediately, Cheetara went into the kitchen and returned with two flagons of spring water. She gave one to Lion-O and one to Panthro. "I said there'd be a drink on me if you were going to tell me about what's happening. And I'm pretty sure Panthro saved all our tails."

Lion-O accepted his and thanked her. Panthro did not immediately let him drink, lowering his head and sniffing each drink twice. He then nodded and Lion-O took a sip. "He's a little overprotective. It's his job," Lion-O said.

"We can't be too careful." Panthro tried his and seemed to think nothing of it, good or bad. "Let's get this over with."

"Cheetara? Tygra? Who are these cats?" Sai was appraising them with suspicion furrowing her brow.

"We're going to find that out, I hope," Cheetara said honestly. "Mama, I'll tell you later. They're okay, I know it."

She gave her daughter a worried look but quietly took to wiping down the bar. Cheetara, out of habit, looked for some dirty glasses to start cleaning. "Okay. So you're here from the Imperial City and you have a bodyguard. Why is this?"

Lion-O put down his glass. "Honestly? I'm on a mission that's going to take me through the north if the stories are right. I wanted to know about what was happening there because of this, and because the Imperial City is trying to gather information about what's happening in Thundera." He took another sip. "There's been a lot of unrest in the world lately, and we're trying to figure out the sources. A lot of it seems to be worst there."

Tygra's tail twitched, an irritated habit. "So you're a glorified messenger and agent of the Imperial City? Why do you have a high-ranking guard official looking after you then? It's an important cat that commands respect from captains and wears the seal on his chest." He gestured toward the gleaming red stone.

Panthro growled and Lion-O prodded him. "A fair question. I've been sent by someone pretty important." He paused and looked at them for a long moment, perusing their eyes. Cheetara felt weird when he stared at her without blinking, blue eyes completely still with his pupils dilated. The silence that fell over them was like mist, silent and heavy.

"…Okay. I can trust you. But you can't tell any others about this."

They exchanged a glance. He was singing a different tune? "Sure."

"I mean it. I need an oath that you won't share this information with anyone." He paused, checking for the other tavern guests. None of them were listening. "I suppose your parents are the exception, Cheetara. I can trust them." This was said so confidently that it made Cheetara feel nervous. How did he know that? Certainly her parents were not snitches, but he seemed to have no doubt.

"Okay. By the Cat," Tygra said. He was a little flippant and Cheetara gave him a disapproving look.

"By the Cat, my word." She said it reverently, feeling heavier once she'd said it. To make an oath by the Cat – the guardian spirit of Thundera, placed by the Creator himself – was to invite its wrath upon oneself if one's word was broken.

Lion-O nodded. Panthro said nothing, arms crossed as if he were ready to fight in less than a second. The air felt different when Lion-O exhaled, as though his chest had been unlocked and steam came from inside his lungs. "I've been sent on this journey by the royal family. I'm a servant to the king, and if I don't succeed in my mission, it might mean the destruction of Thundera in a matter of years."

The quiet that fell was thick as death, and Cheetara wondered, not for the first time, if they had gotten in over their heads.

* * *

End of Episode 1


	2. Chapter 2

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 2**

 **Stranger on a Mission, Part 2**

* * *

"So what exactly is it that you're traveling to do?"

Cheetara leaned forward and felt her shoulders shift up secretively. Whether she quite believed what Lion-O said – Thundera, fall? In a matter of years? – or thought him crazy, it was hard not to ask.

"Yeah…exactly what I was going to ask. And, you know, for evidence. And if you've got any medications you forgot this morning." Tygra glanced at Cheetara, twirling a finger beside his temple, and she ignored his skeptical tone. Granted he might be right and this might be quite mad, but there was the chance he could be wrong.

Lion-O seemed to miss it entirely, although she could have sworn that Panthro's right eye twitched slightly. His irises were a piercing gray, almost silver in this light. Cheetara blinked, wondering if he'd be a little offended if she said they were pretty.

"Evidence?" Lion-O didn't seem upset at all, instead reaching for something at his hip. He brought up the thick, golden gauntlet and drew the sword.

What little there was of it. It had been several feet long before but now it was scarcely longer than two finger lengths. It was silvery, interlaid in the hilt with minute rubies and sapphires, and the etchings of cats and swirling patterns were something glorious. The blade's facets were smooth as glass, and in the place where the blade and hilt joined was a great red stone, cut so finely that it looked round until she peered at it and marveled at the hundreds of perfect facets on its front.

"It's beautiful…but what is it?" she asked. Lion-O blinked as if surprised she didn't know.

"It's the Sword of Omens."

The quiet that fell was so awkward that Cheetara was almost glad for the bawdy round of song from the next table.

"The Sword of Omens? The mystical, powerful, only to be wielded by the king Sword of Omens? The one that's won every war we've entered? _That_ Sword of Omens?" Cheetara looked at the beautiful workmanship and spared Tygra a look, checking for his reaction. His expression was cool, examining. "I've never seen it before."

"Yes, that one. I'm on a mission to…well, in a way, to see to its repair. The king sent me because he's unable to make the journey himself at the moment." Cheetara's head snapped up.

This seemed absurd. First, the sword looked perfect in every way; what could be repaired? She had a basic understanding of blades from what she'd seen around town. And if it did need mending, certainly the king would oversee its care. But there was something stiff in the way Lion-O sat now, a bristle to his fur, and Cheetara decided not to raise these points. Right now he was speaking, and she hung off every word.

"The place I need to get to is beyond Lune from my understanding, at the northern pole of Third Earth. Obviously it's not a matter of just walking in a straight line to get there, which is why I needed a world map. I…wasn't provided with one for certain reasons."

"And the other one?" she asked.

He seemed to turn pink. "Well…the place I need to find…isn't on a realistic map. It's a legendary place, and I felt that it might be good to have an idea of where people believed it was in the past." Lion-O sounded sheepish and Tygra raised a hand.

"You'll do fine as a wandering minstrel. Hope your singing voice is good. But none of what you're saying can be true."

"Why not?" Panthro asked.

Tygra rested on his elbow. "The king sends some servant off to fix a super weapon and he doesn't even tell him where to go? A super weapon that hasn't needed so much as a sharpening in three hundred years? Yeah, no, I'm not buying it."

Lion-O shut his eyes. "It is pretty strange. But the king didn't have any choice. Panthro and I were chosen to look for a place called the King's Door, and he believes it's real. It's faded away on most maps. It's a legend now, only mentioned in our most ancient of books. But the references are there, and they imply a real place rather than a symbolic door."

"What's inside the King's Door then?" Tygra asked, one brow rising.

Cheetara waved her hand dismissively. "It was used by the ancient kings according to the old tales. They had to retrieve ore from the world's core to forge the Sword of Omens or something. The texts aren't too clear." Everyone looked at her. "What? I've dragged you to the temple on the high holy days Tygra, even you ought to remember a little of it."

Lion-O and Panthro blinked together and Tygra looked pained. "Y'know, I was really hoping it wasn't more mumbo-jumbo…wait, the core of the planet?" He straightened up and gave Lion-O an incredulous look. "Uh, the core of the planet is really dense and hot. I'm pretty sure going there is a bad idea."

"Yes…" Lion-O said slowly, still looking at Cheetara, still surprised she'd known. "Although the writings refer to it as the heart of the world, we assume they mean it leads into the center of Third Earth. Our priests and scientists both believe that something is going wrong there for different reasons. And whatever's wrong is connected to what's causing the Sword of Omens to get weaker, or rather, the jewel from which it derives its power." He tapped the stone. "To get there safely we have to take the King's Door and the path that was made there long ago. Because you're right; it's extremely hot and dense inside the planet. But Thundera's core itself has something in its center that isn't just solid stone. And the King's Door is supposed to take us right into the middle without killing us."

That deafening silence returned once more. Cheetara couldn't help but rub the back of her neck. "Maybe you could explain that."

"Yeah, for the heathens among us," Tygra snorted.

Lion-O rested his arms on the table and suddenly looked depressed. "That's about all I know. The Sword of Omens is somehow connected to the heart of our world – whatever that means – because its materials came from there and it's…well, its powers are getting weaker. So if we fix what's wrong there, it should be okay. I think."

This was hardly reassuring. He glanced up furtively and checked for any listeners. A round of song from the corner made him relax; they were getting into their cups. Cheetara frowned, wondering what in the world those men were doing getting drunk so early in the day. "Why are you telling us this?" she asked.

"Because the Sword trusts you." He held the hilt in one hand and supported the flat of the blade in the other. "Since I'm the one that's supposed to repair it, I'm its temporary wielder by the king's order. It tells me things."

"Your sword talks to you?" Tygra asked baldly.

"Not in words. But it trusts you both. It senses something good inside you. The fact that it's active at all around you means a lot because it's been silent so much lately. It's dying but it made a point of leading me here to Dera's Run." Lion-O put it away in the golden gauntlet on his hip. "I know it sounds crazy. But you asked what I was doing here and I told you. We'll be leaving soon and hopefully the Mutation users won't come this way again if your guards up their watch." He downed the last of his drink and set the empty cup on the bar counter. "Thanks for the help. I'm sorry if you were hoping for a better answer. I wish I had one to give."

Cheetara watched him approach Panthro. "Aren't you going to drink yours?"

Panthro took the glass –he'd never looked away for even a second, watching the conversation like a sentinel – and downed its contents in two swallows. He too put his glass on the counter and nodded at the two as if he were about to get up and leave. "Wait, so what happens now?" Cheetara said. "Something's wrong with the planet and you're going to try to wander around and find an ancient door to fix it? And we're just supposed to go on with our daily lives when Third Earth might implode someday?"

"I told you what I could. What else is there to do?" Lion-O pulled up his hood, absently fingering the torn edges.

"You could tell us why King Claudus isn't looking into this kind of issue himself!" Tygra snapped. Lion-O stiffened at his volume and Panthro growled. Lion-O's tail bristled and Cheetara noticed him sitting back down. "He's a brave cat, and there's no way he'd send some kid page boy off to do this kind of work!"

"I'm eighteen, thank you." Lion-O's nose – bunny nose, Cheetara couldn't help but think – flared. "I may be young, but I'm one of a few he can trust with this. Lower your voice please."

"But why send anyone? He's never been one to hide from a battle or danger. He took down a hundred warriors on his own, bare clawed, in the Battle of the Fel Sea to defend his father the king. And you're telling me he's sending you on crazy, dangerous missions?"

Tygra's hostility lowered slightly, as did his voice. "Unless you give me a good reason why King Claudus would do something like that, I might punch you for slandering the king."

Panthro cracked his knuckles and Tygra's fingers ghosted toward his whip.

Lion-O cocked his head, hand at his side, and Cheetara's eyes lowered to the hilt of the "Sword of Omens." She could taste friction in the air, something like the taste of the steam of lightning when it built in her staff.

Was it glowing? The red stone seemed just a little brighter, and the faint smudge of dim light stained Lion-O's fingers red. Lion-O noticed her looking and examined the Sword. "What?" Tygra asked. He didn't seem alarmed at all and Cheetara realized after a moment that he didn't see the glow. Nor did Panthro, if the darting of his eyes meant anything.

"Why would you fight something for that?" Lion-O asked. Tygra's mouth pursed a little, as if he were confused by the question. "Why would you even care? You don't know the king."

"Well…I…you shouldn't slander someone. Honor's worth something," Tygra muttered. "Especially if they're dedicated to their people."

"'Honor?'" Lion-O said thoughtfully. The glow pulsed and Cheetara felt a warm wave on her face, like the sun on a cold day.

He lowered the Sword of Omens again. "The king is ill." The words were as mild as a knife in the gut and Tygra's tail dropped like a stone.

Panthro took Lion-O's shoulder. "Why did you tell them that?" he hissed.

Lion-O shook his head. "He's made a promise. So has Cheetara. They won't break their words." He said this with absolute surety.

Cheetara couldn't say she felt upset; she didn't know much of the king and to hear that he was unwell was sad in a way, but it didn't affect her much. Of course, it could affect everyone if he couldn't protect the kingdom. But the king was such a foreign, distant figure that she felt a twinge of empathy and the sorrow of someone watching another person cough. Mama's stew would've seen to it he felt better. Of course, he was likely receiving the best of care anyway, being royalty and all. So the idea of him being sick seemed nearly irrelevant.

Not so for the others here. Tygra's fingers paused on the table, claws further out than usual. "King Claudus is ill? With what?"

Lion-O's face fell and Panthro's shoulders seemed tighter than ropes. "We don't know. The priests and doctors treat him with medicine and prayers, and he's stable for now." His eyes were piercing as he looked at Tygra and then Cheetara. "You can see why this mission and his sickness have to be kept secret don't you? People are already getting nervous about strife and our enemies. It's essential that they're kept calm while the issues are dealt with."

"So you don't think the people should know their leader is ill?" Cheetara asked, frowning.

"In any other situation I think they should. But it's the king's word that his condition is kept quiet. It's not because he wants to deceive them, but can you imagine if our enemies found out about the cat they fear most being unable to fight? Coupled with countrywide panic about a leader on his sickbed?"

Cheetara's frown morphed into a considering pout. "Ah. Yeah. I guess I can understand that then."

So then why tell _them_? Could that really be the Sword of Omens? Could it really be telling him something about them? Cheetara dug down deep and knew she couldn't break her word to secrecy – especially not if this crazy story were true – and Tygra, for all his faults, had never broken a promise, even one carelessly made. If it were a lie it would be stupid and harmful to spread. It would be even worse if it were true.

And besides, nothing about Lion-O indicated a lie. He kept eye contact, he spoke at an even pitch, he didn't seem to search for details. Either he was a great liar, a nut, or an honest cat, and Cheetara didn't believe he was crazy as he told them the tale.

But if this was true, a lot was at stake.

"Why only two?" she asked suddenly. Panthro's tail caught her attention; it was short and dark, and swayed slowly from side to side. Nervous, perhaps. "If this is so important, why only two cats?"

"Secrecy. An armed force couldn't get through the north without attracting a lot of attention." This, Cheetara sensed, was a partial fib. Lion-O only met her eyes for a second. But it was a good reason and Cheetara simply made mental note of it. "I've said more than I should. Now you know about us and we need to move soon."

"What about Slithe? You went out of your way to try to stop him. Aren't you going to deal with him?"

Lion-O nodded. "I get the feeling he'll leave Dera's Run since he's on his own now. If he's involved in the Mutation trade he's going to head to Tropo since that's where it seems to be stemming from for these areas. Panthro and I are doing what we can about it as we travel toward Lune, which is why we brought antimutagen in the first place, and the Imperial City is working on the situation as well. Besides, I think the two of you could take him. You especially," he added sheepishly, looking at Cheetara. Flattered – if still uneasy – she put a hand on her hip.

"You're trying to stop a drug trade and get inside the planet? Why both?"

"They're connected somehow. That is, the people in charge of the Mutation trade seem to have some idea about what's happening. They're exploiting the situation. And if our enemies get the power to destroy Thundera, we might have saved the planet just to see the empire overthrown and enslaved. We've got enough antimutagen to last for a while, and if we happen to break the trade ring it'll be a lot better for everyone. They're interested in the King's Door too, from what we've gathered, but I don't think they know about the Sword of Omens yet." Lion-O still seemed overwhelmed, glancing down. "The situation is grim, but with forces disheartened and spread out trying to quell unrest, we're the best the king has. If the Sword of Omens returns to its former power, things will improve."

Cheetara looked at Tygra, who hadn't spoken for a minute, listening intently. "I think Tygra and I need to discuss something. Would you excuse us for a moment?"

Panthro tapped his black claws on the table. They were filed to perfect, military points, the most refined thing about him. "You're sworn not to speak of this to anyone. Other than your parents," he said unwillingly.

"They're not going to tell anyone Panthro. I'm sure." Lion-O's soft voice seemed unconcerned, completely trusting, and Cheetara tugged at Tygra's shirt collar. He got up and followed her to the corner, sheathed in the shadows and granted a little privacy.

"What do you think?" he asked. "You're usually pretty good about hunches."

Cheetara watched Lion-O out of the corner of her eye. Panthro was muttering in his ear, and it flicked back and forth. "You'll think I'm crazy. But…I can tell they're not lying."

"Yeah. Me too. I've met enough liars to call them out," he replied. "Do you think they're sane though?"

"I do. They don't act crazy. And their story would be a little more complete if they had rehearsed it. Do you think that's really the Sword of Omens?"

Tygra buried his chin in his hand. "That's tough. I've seen a few images of it before, and the thing looks authentic. But I'm sure other weapons have been forged to look like it."

Cheetara ran her fingers through her hair. "I saw the stone glow. You and Panthro didn't, but I think Lion-O did." He narrowed his eyes and her jaw stiffened. "Don't give me that look. I believe there are supernatural things out there but I'm not nuts. I've never hallucinated. Lion-O looked at it at the exact same time. If it's the Sword of Omens, it could really be telling things about people. It's said to have been imbued with wisdom eons ago."

"If you believe the stories. Whether I do or not isn't important though; what is important is that if these guys aren't nuts and they aren't lying, they're telling the truth. And if they're telling the truth, they're two people going on a suicidal mission." Tygra crossed his arms. "Panthro can fight and Lion-O handled that sword pretty well for all of twenty seconds, but I don't think they can get to Lune. Whenever I travel north to see mother I have to travel with a battalion of Imperials that guard the routes. Two cats…no, they'll never make it."

"So…they'd need help to make it." Cheetara frowned at the way his fur bristled.

"No way. We don't even know these guys. And it's not like we're trained to fight." She didn't say anything and he put his hands on both hips, shoulders hard. "Cheetara, there a billion reasons we're not going with them. They won't want us-"

"You don't know that."

"It'll be dangerous-"

"That's why they'll need us."

"You have to prepare for a journey like this-"

"I can pack and be ready in a day."

"Your parents will flip."

Cheetara paused. This much was true. "They trust me," she said at last, watching her mother wipe down the counter and her father teasingly sweeping in to kiss her and tickle her chin. She smacked his hand with a flick and shooed him off to wash dishes. "If I say I have to go, they'll let me."

"Cheetara! This-you-I-"

Tygra sputtered a little more and finally grunted. "I'm giving you many sensible reasons that we shouldn't go. Give me one good reason why we ought to try to convince these Imperials to let us go with them on some dangerous, ludicrous venture."

"Other than the fact that all of Thundera, and even the world, might be at stake?"

He shifted irritably. "Yes. One that pertains to us personally."

She gave him a flat look. "I'd argue our planet blowing up is fairly personal, but…I've got this feeling."

Tygra sighed and shut his eyes. "Look, when I said your hunches are good…"

"Name one time I've been wrong with something big."

He scowled. "How about that time you tried fighting that guy that stole a barrel of ale and you broke your nose last year?"

"I mean a real feeling, one like this." He refused to look at her and she shifted her weight. "I'm going to ask them. At least we could travel with them until they get Slithe. What if he comes back with more soldiers and sacks Dera's Run because we drove him off? He's a general of the Alliance! If they aren't stopped, do you think the king would worry about a place as little as Dera's Run with all that's going on?"

The corners of Tygra's mouth quirked uncomfortably. "I admit you have a point there. But we still don't know if we can trust these guys."

"They put themselves in danger to save those guards. And does Lion-O seem like he'd hurt anyone if he could do otherwise?" She gestured to the cat and observed as he absently smoothed the tuft of red fur on the tip of his tail, harmless with his round blue eyes and youthful face.

"I guess not. If he handled being drooled on by a mutt he must have a soft heart." Cheetara nudged him.

"I'm going to see if they'd be open to me coming along anyway. You have to make your own decision." She didn't look at her parents as she passed the bar and her heart pounded thickly as she sat down again. Cheetara did not make a habit of stupid, dangerous decisions by choice, and some part of her didn't believe what she was about to say. Perhaps that was why she said it fast; she knew she'd change her mind if she didn't hurry. "Would you be open to having another cat join you and help you make your way north?"

Panthro stared and Lion-O's eyes grew very round. The result was so bunny-ish that Cheetara didn't dare take her paw away from her chin for fear of laughing. "Um. I'm sorry, what?"

Cheetara swept her hair over her shoulder, feeling a little unkempt. "Two people will have a really hard time making it all the way to Lune with enemies along the way. And I'm afraid that Slithe will attack Dera's Run if you don't deal with him. If everything you've told us is true, I think it's my duty to try to help you."

Panthro turned his head and muttered in Lion-O's ear again. The lion listened before speaking. "Your offer is very kind, but I think it'd be best if you don't accompany us. It'll be dangerous, and you have family here." Lion-O shook his head. "I'm sorry, but have to decline."

Cheetara had half-expected this. Tygra sat down beside her in silence and made no similar offer. "So it's a no?"

She watched Lion-O and Panthro get up. Something in her did not feel disappointed but rather as if it were still waiting for an answer. As if that "no" had only been a "maybe." Seeing them to the door, Cheetara waited until Lion-O was nearly out before she said, "I saw it glow too. The sword."

He stopped and glanced back at her curiously. The side of his hood brushed his cheek and he looked terribly young for a big venture. Was he younger or older than her? Cheetara tilted her head. "The king doesn't want his people to know about what's going on. I understand that. But I'm a Thunderan citizen, and more than that, I'm part of this world. If what you're saying is true, billions of lives are riding on your success. I'd like your chances to be as good as possible. Ask that sword of yours if it thinks you ought to bring me. If it tells you something, come by before you leave again. If not…I guess this is goodbye."

Lion-O's lips parted as if he were trying to think of something to say. When he didn't Cheetara reached out and tweaked the edge of his nose once more, very gently. "Look out for yourself. And that bunny nose."

He closed the door before she could see his expression and she gazed at the wooden surface for a few seconds before she left. She had errands to run and flour to pick up.

* * *

"What were you thinking, offering to go running around the countryside? Cheetara, I've never seen the like!"

Her mother's hand was firm but the pulls were gentle on her hair. "I don't know Mama. I just felt like I was supposed to do something." She pouted and pulled her knees up to her chin. "Do you think they were lying?"

"I'm sure I don't know what I think Cheetara. I don't know either of them well enough to think that. But that you interfered with the guards' business…Cheetara, you're so sensible most of the time. These feelings you get surely aren't worth getting hurt over are they?" Sai kissed the top of her head angrily.

Yamese was writing on a pad of paper but he peered over it at his wife. "I don't know dear. Cheetara's never been wrong about this sort of thing before."

She looked at her dad and shot him a smile but Sai tutted. "You're recommending our daughter run off with strange cats?"

"Oh, don't be silly. But when have you known our golden girl to make up one of her feelings? There's a ring of something important about all this." Yamese put his pages aside and stroked his whiskers in thought. "You say this boy had the Sword of Omens, or that he claimed to. I'll admit that there hasn't been any news of the Imperial City lately, and the king hasn't made any appearances for some time." He took a moment to continue, as if unsure of what to say. "I wish we knew more of what was happening."

"I don't. I'm content to let the king's men work on it." Tucking the stray bits of blond hair back, Sai tied off the braid and nudged Cheetara's shoulders. She stood up, towering over her mother as the Siamese cat rose and brushed the wrinkles out of her nightdress. "It's frightening and mad, all of it. King Claudus wouldn't send just anyone on this venture if it's true. My daughter doesn't need to be running around the countryside. It's a dangerous world for man or woman, but a woman is in greater danger of the two."

Cheetara didn't reply, looking out the window. Just last night she'd been enjoying the dingy view but now she saw it for what it was; a little town in a little place in a really big world. It might disappear one day because of something nobody knew anything about. The whole world seemed less certain now, less stable. She believed in the Creator and his power, and this eased her worry a little, but what if this feeling were his way of telling her to go? What if she was meant to do something to help these strangers?

A practical part of her mind stirred. Assuming the planet was saved, trade routes could open back up if stability returned to the kingdom. Mi-Ao's shipments could come through more cheaply. The Fancy Feline would struggle less and the stress lines on her parents' faces would lighten. Prices would go down and getting new goods could bring real prosperity back to Dera's Run. They could shift away from a plain old bar and toward their real dream, a full on restaurant and inn. Cheetara said nothing of this but held it somewhere south of her heart and north of her stomach in a hard knot.

"It just seems like something's going to happen." She knew it was Yamese behind her because he smelled like biscuits. He ate them in place of dessert. He was trying to lose a little paunch.

"I know. Feels restless tonight. Don't worry about your mother. I know you'd only offer to go if you thought it was right. She just frets about her baby." He kissed the top of her head. "The Creator will guide you. He always leads those willing to follow."

"Yeah. I know." She turned around and bent to kiss his whiskery cheek. "'Night Daddy. Love you." Her tail coiled as she considered what to say next. "If Lion-O does come back tomorrow…if he does need my help…would you let me go?"

He looked up at her with something like wonder. "I wouldn't like my kitten running around in such a dangerous world, but yes. I still think you're meant for something much bigger than I am. You have to do what you believe is right. And I love you too, sweetheart."

Cheetara hugged him, long and secure. Then she went to bed and chewed on what she'd learned, thinking about molten planet insides and broken swords. But it hadn't seemed broken, and for the first time she began to wonder if maybe Lion-O was wrong. Or King Claudus, rather.

Cheetara curled up under her blankets. Her tight stomach loosened a little; maybe the Sword of Omens was just tired after a long period of inactivity. Yes, like her staff when she first started using it. It hadn't been used in years, and it took a few tries to warm it up. It had been careless to offer to go with strangers, even though she did know they were good. And she did know, really. Or she thought she did. The doubtful voice sounded like her mother and chided her.

Maybe they were right. Maybe two people were enough. She'd never traveled on the open road much, and Cheetara would miss her parents terribly if she went. Her hunches were never wrong, but there was a first time for everything, wasn't there? She wasn't the most refined lady around but she liked to be able to take a bath and eat dinner with her family. If she traveled she'd have to get used to being grungy and dirty.

But it would be amazing to see the world. Meet so many people, beyond the borders of tiny Dera's Run. Try all the foods, look at the sights. See how others lived, what they thought. What kinds of ale sold well and whether or not Trollogs could actually talk…

Her feet hit the floor in her dream so hard that it nearly woke her. Cheetara gasped, holding her knees and feeling her feet beat hard with the pain and her heart. She might have bitten her tongue too, as there was blood in her mouth.

Cheetara was neither hot nor cold but she rubbed her arms anyway; the air felt stale and heavy, and it was almost tiresome to breathe in the air. The tip of her tongue was hurting now.

"Thundercat."

The word wasn't spoken. It was commanded, pushed out in a wave of gravity. It nearly made her knees buckle again and Cheetara held her head with the glory of it. It wasn't a sound but it reverberated inside her, making her ribs and skull rattle. "Wh-What…?"

"He is growing stronger."

It wasn't a voice but it was so clear, hard and fierce as a bell.

"Who are you?" She felt ashamed to ask; perhaps the thing would think her foolish for not knowing. Why did it call her a Thundercat? Or was it talking to someone else? "And who is getting stronger?"

"Go. Lion-O will return tomorrow and you will go with him. Others will attempt to dissuade you, but if you value their lives you will go. Go and let no one stop you."

And Cheetara stood in a darkness that was suddenly oppressive, thicker than black liquor, and she knew the being would tell her no more. She looked around, wishing she would wake up. There was nothing but the sound of wind here, blowing hot and soft against her back. It blew and pulled, blew and pulled, drawing her hair and then sending it fluttering past her face.

She stiffened and her fur stood on end. That wasn't wind. It was breath. Like a sleepy drunk's breathing before he started yelling about the bill.

Almost as if it knew she'd sensed it, the breathing stopped. Cheetara's heart was moving fast and she willed herself not to scream, cupping a hand over her mouth.

Then, before she could convince herself otherwise, she spun around.

Nothing. Nothing at all. Cheetara felt a little better for a second, bewildered. Dreams did not have to be logical, but these were usually a little more sensible than others. Perhaps if she focused she could change this one's direction? She preferred dreams where she was running through space. Her feet burned on stars in those, and the ice of comets cooled them as she sprinted through the sky.

Red lights suddenly appeared, above her head and Cheetara squinted at them. Those didn't look like stars. Had someone turned on lights for her? "Um…hello? Anyone there?"

The lights moved and Cheetara plugged her fist into her mouth, muffling a shriek. They weren't lights. They were great eyes, looking at her. The hot breath came again. It stank ever so slightly, like meat that had been sitting in the warm sun a little too long.

Her hands dropped to her sides and she felt for her staff, fingers tripping. The eyes had no pupils, only a red sheen that looked down on her like filmy blood. "Who are you?"

Her voice squeaked. Cheetara felt her tail between her legs and cursed her fear; it was a nightmare, that was all.

Wasn't it?

The eyes shifted, suddenly in front of her, and she felt the heat of breath closer and she wrapped her hand around the cold, comforting metal of her weapon. Those eyes were huge, bigger around than her arms could reach. But was there anything else in that dark? She could see no face, no mouth, no skin.

"I am Everliving."

A voice without a mouth spoke, quieter than dead moss. It raked over her like broken, cracked nails and made her throat feel raw, cracking all her edges.

Her staff extended. "That's an adjective. I want your name, which would be a noun." Cheetara put out the blades, ready to pierce the gelatinous eyes. She'd never felt so brave and stupid. "Who are you?"

The eyes never blinked. Instead they shifted a little, and Cheetara heard it whisper. And this time, she saw the flash of pointed, rotten teeth beneath them. Some were yellow and the ones in the back faded to moldy green and gray.

The mouth – she knew it had one now – tore open, unhinged and gaping like a snake's. It could swallow her whole, and the teeth filled it like too many needles. The roar came down and pressed her into a crouch, slamming her onto her knees and blowing her fur back. It went on and on, from one end of eternity to the next.

His breath was a maelstrom, and if he didn't stop roaring she felt like she'd pass out because she wouldn't be able to take in a gasp. And every bent joint felt ready to burst open like a crab's shell under the force of a hammer.

The noise stopped and Cheetara stopped holding her ears, ringing making her eardrums burn. Her body was heavy and she realized she was shivering, muscles weak as jam. Had it disappeared? Her body crumpled and she sprawled there, nearly numb.

She jerked her head up and saw a figure standing over her. It was wrapped in a long blue cloak and she could barely see his face, but the shape and color of it was familiar. He seemed blurry like a few blots of paint on a page, wavering in her line of vision.

He seemed to smile and Cheetara tried to get up, elbows buckling. He knelt and sat beside her, shadow soft as cloth. For some reason she felt a little better, and she realized the darkness around them wasn't so deep, wasn't so poisonous. "He's gone now, so you're safe. I'll be back tomorrow. Tygra will come too. We'll go together. Get ready before evening. You'll hear Thundera's Hymn when you wake up. Let that be a sign."

Cheetara blinked, slow and thick. "I need to go to Lune?"

The smile stayed in place. Somehow the light in his eyes said, "Yes." "Why?"

"Because I'll fail without you."

"You'll fail? What's that mean? What'll happen if I don't go?" she pressed.

The smiled faded and he looked apologetic. A red line ran across his face – like a knife had made a tiny slit in his skin – and then Cheetara screamed as something thick and scarlet exploded over her from the line, clotting in her fur and drowning her lungs. It was too much to be coming from that cut, barrels and barrels gushing out. It was like a waterfall coming from a bucket, and the rest of the world smothered in it.

"You are needed, Cheetara. You are all needed. Go or Thundera's blood will fill all the seas. Do not doubt; listen for the Hymn."

She woke to someone grabbing her shoulders and shaking them. A set of blue eyes bored into her blurry line of sight and she screamed again, thinking it was still the bleeding face of-

No. Her mother. His lips were tight and she was speaking. "Cheetara! Baby, wake up! Wake up!"

"…Mama," she choked, sitting up. She leaned forward, forehead hitting her mother's shoulder with her back slumping. "I had a dream. Oh, no it wasn't. It was so horrible. I couldn't have just dreamed that."

Heavy footsteps on the stairs told her that her dad was coming up. "Sai, Cheetara! What is it?" The door flew open and he came in, kneeling at the edge of the bed. It reminded her faintly of the time she'd tripped while getting dressed and he'd barged in when she started crying and had kissed her bruised knee even though she'd been in her underwear. Neither of them had even noticed until afterward, and then they'd laughed. He was in his nightclothes and a cap and he was limping; he must have stubbed his toe.

Cheetara knew Yamese couldn't fix everything like a kissed bruise, but the presence of "Daddy" made her stir. "Honey, what's wrong?" The warmth of her parents made Cheetara rub her face, trying not to close her eyes. They were too red, the blood in her eyelids too much like the deluge.

"Mama, I have to go with Lion-O. Something terrible will happen if I don't." She practically vomited the words, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. Sai looked at Yamese.

"Look, you've upset her. That talk of important things and restless nights!"

"No! Mama, I swear! In my dream someone told me that if I didn't go, Thundera…'Thundera's blood will fill the seas.' Lion-O's going to come back tomorrow and I have to go help him. Tygra's supposed to come too, it said so…"

Cheetara felt very calm now but her voice shook and she wondered if her mother thought she was going into hysterics. "What said so? Some voice in a dream? Cheetara, this isn't like you-"

Jerking her head up, Cheetara shushed her mother. Her ears perked and she listened. "The sign. There it is."

Yamese and Sai both listened, looking nervous. But all that could be heard was a slightly off-key warbling down below.

" _Feel the ma-jick, Hear tha'roarrr…Thunnercats'r loose…_ "

Yamese opened the window and looked down. A tipsy cat was singing Thundera's Hymn to himself, its ode to its heroes. The man swayed and hiccupped after every couple lines. "Drunk Katty singing? That's a sign, dear?"

"Thundera's Hymn. The voice said I'd hear it when I woke up." Cheetara breathed slowly, burying her face in her hands. "There's no way that was just a dream. I know dreams. That was a vision."

"Cheetara, I want you to forget that young man. He's gotten you all upset and-" Sai began, arms crossing.

"No Mama. I know what I saw. He's going to come back tomorrow and I've got to go with him." Cheetara rubbed her temples and looked at Yamese. "You were right. Something is going to happen. You'll let me go with them, won't you? You said you would."

Sai looked at him, mouth puckering. "You said what?"

Yamese looked somewhat sheepish. Cheetara waited for his reply as he wiped his hair back, tugging at the roots a little. "Cheetara. You have to realize this sounds very strange. You've had a horrible dream, but that doesn't mean it's a vision. And besides, Lion-O turned your offer down."

Cheetara sat there a moment, mulling this over. She knew it had been more than a dream. She felt it in the way her bones ached from the scream and the tang of blood on her tongue. There was a sore place on it that matched the dream, she realized, running it over her teeth. But for just a second, listening to the sensible words of her parents, Cheetara couldn't help but wonder if maybe they were right.

No. Her insides tightened and it felt like she'd breathed in freezing air. Cheetara knew better. She could never in her wildest imagination dreamed up anything like that and have it feel so real.

She sighed. "Okay. If Lion-O shows up tomorrow and he's changed his mind, I have to leave. That's be two signs. And if Tygra will go, that's three signs I was right. Fair enough?"

Sai and Yamese exchanged glances. "Dear, this isn't like you. All of a sudden…"

Cheetara shook her head. "I was told that Tygra and I have to go, and Lion-O is going to come back by tomorrow evening. I'll pack. If he doesn't show up I'll…I guess it is all a dream. But if not…"

Yamese swept some of her free blond hairs back. "I said I'd let you go if you thought that was what you had to do. If this Lion-O fellow comes back…well, you'll have to make your decision. I trust your judgment Cheetara." His whiskers brushed her forehead. "We've not raised a fool for a daughter."

Sai just took Cheetara's hand. "I just don't understand it. You were so happy two days ago and now this? You want to run off into dangerous places?"

"I don't want to Mama. I have to, no matter what anyone says. It's important." Cheetara laid her head down on the pillow and sighed. "You know the ancient tales? The ones where the Creator sent dreams to mortals and they prophesied? I think it must have felt like that. I've never had anything like that come over me." Sai pulled up the blanket and wrapped it around her golden shoulders, stroking her spots. Cheetara peeped at her over the edge of her comforter. "Do you think I'm crazy Mama?"

"Never that Cheetara." Her mother's face seemed drawn now and Cheetara was comforted by her words if not her expression. "If Lion-O shows up I'll have to talk to him. But you know he said he didn't need your help on this, so I don't know if I'd bother packing tomorrow."

"I'll pack just in case." Cheetara held her mother's fingers. "Mama, I really don't want to. I just have to. I wish I could show you what I saw. It had these red eyes that just…ugh."

"Just go to sleep sweetheart. Don't think about it." Sai kissed her hair again and Cheetara was aware of falling asleep over the next few minutes to her mother's voice and her father's occasional murmur.

No more dreams plagued her that night.

* * *

"Icla's had thirteen drug sale cases just this season, and though there hasn't been any hard evidence connecting the Mutation to Lune, it's the only place nearby with access to the materials to make so much so quickly, and they've got the connections to import the extra ingredients we've been discovering in the substance. Not to mention the people have been restless up there…they say there are quakes more often now. Of course, it's the Luna. You know how they are."

Tygra had dealt with a few in his life and he nodded. His father gazed at the message screen displaying a portly brown cat and seemed to think hard. "Is that why your prices have been rising? The local merchants are complaining, and I'd like a hard reason to explain it to them."

The cat nodded, looking grim. "I live fair to the south of Icla and we still lose shipments. Food and drink go missing, right into thieving bellies. I have to pay for greater security as we travel and that goes into the price of goods. I have men to pay and a family to feed. Don't let this fool you," he added glumly, patting his stomach. "We've been tightening our belts here as well."

He did seem to slump, Tygra observed. Mi-Ao was a jolly cat, likable, and he had his fingers in many trades and caravans that traveled. He never charged more than was fair either, and Tygra liked him for his tendency to be willing to barter for those that had limited coin. But his whiskers seemed to droop and his bright eyes clouded.

"I understand. The merchants are getting worried is all. I am too for that matter." His father sighed and leaned on his pale hand. "Sometimes I wonder if being like the other nobles and just ignoring matters might not be easier."

"Ah Xiame, you're too nosy to stay out of affairs. And it's just as well; we need someone involved." Mi-Ao paused and his tail wavered uneasily. "Ah, I have a message for Tygra." He opened a small paper and coughed. "His mother says, 'I enjoyed your visit and you make sure to take care of yourself. Keep your nose clean and stay out of trouble. Kisses and love, Mama.'"

Tygra straightened. He didn't have the time to get embarrassed. "Is she all right?"

"Yes. She just misses you." But Mi-Ao crossed his arms, brow furrowed in thought. "Still, I'm worried. She has her servants at home and she's the fiercest tigress I've ever met, but we've had brigands and thieves spotted in Icla as well. She lives so close and sometimes her men admit to seeing the Luna heading south. They haven't had any trouble yet, and you know that the Luna have no reaction to Mutation."

Xiame looked at his son. He had green eyes and the orange of his fur was almost red compared to Tygra's, and his pale face was still handsome even though gray had started on his black stripes. His hair was kept in long white braids, but unlike his son he let them fall down his back. He was a little past the age of running around the different cities and fighting, which was what the bound braids meant. They were a symbol of youth and wild spirit. Tygra leaned on the side of his father's chair. "I wish I'd known all this before I came back. I might've stayed a while longer."

Though he would've hated to admit it, Tygra had been more shaken by the conversation with Lion-O than he'd let on. Sure, Lion-O might be nuts. But with all he said there was an echo of truth, and Tygra had done a little digging.

Criminal records were increasing up north. Cities grew more restless toward Thundera's northern borders. And now Mi-Ao was talking about security and the Mutation trade? It was a little too close to be coincidence.

Tygra didn't know about the rest of it. The core of the planet and the Sword of Omens, and even the king being sick, were just Lion-O's words. But if he was right about all this, it increased his credibility.

Most unfortunately.

"And the Imperial Guard?" Xiame asked.

"This land falls outside their reach. Cheaper tariffs and taxes, so it's why we congregate here, but it's not under Thundera's authority. They can only come in if permitted by the Lunas' political leaders of Lune. I daresay some of the higher ups are involved in the Mutation trade, which has proven most lucrative. Not that we've seen any of them for weeks." Mi-Ao rubbed the bridge of his stout nose. "So Thundera's not a presence here."

Xiame looked at his claws and linked his fingers. "Why she moved all the way out there…" he murmured. Mi-Ao glanced up and coughed uncomfortably and Tygra's tail switched from side to side.

"She's been doing well for herself. And she likes the cold climate, not to mention the Luna. She never really wanted to move to Dera's Run in the first place." Tygra said all this lightly, trying not to make the last words too accusatory.

"Not to mention she's avoided me the past fifteen years like I have the distemper." This was said bluntly and Tygra shrugged. "Does she ever mention me?"

"Not a word. I don't bring it up," Tygra replied. Xiame sighed.

"Maybe it would be a good idea for you to check to check on her. She'll allow your calls through, won't she?"

Mi-Ao shook his head. "That's what I called to tell you about. I won't be able to communicate with the merchants at all after this and I wanted you to pass on my message. Lune is cutting off communication with the south. This is the last call I'm allowed."

Tygra stared. "What gives them the right to do that?"

"It's more a matter of security than a matter of rights. The Luna security forces have been pushing through laws to restrict business communication as they try to cut down on the Mutation trades. They believe there are reptilian receivers for the goods and surmise that keeping them from making contact points will dissuade traders." Mi-Ao raised his hands helplessly. "It's good to know there are some uncorrupt Luna, but everyone has to suffer. Politicians are fighting it, but it's all to naught."

"They're cutting off contact to the south because they know reptiles can't head up north to claim the drug. The Luna will have to head further south than ever and that will look suspicious considering how much they dislike the climate." Xiame wrote this down, pen ticking on the metal surface under his paper. "Of course there are some warm-blooded creatures that could make the trek for a bit of the profit. The traders are probably one step ahead of them as we speak."

"It's a bandage solution. It's not going to work but it feels like they're doing something. Most such laws are. As long as there are bad people in business, bad business will be done. Have you tried communicating with Matrae?"

"No. Let me try to place a call, we'll keep you on the line." Tygra entered the code for his mother's location outside Icla and Mi-Ao's image was compressed slightly and a new square appeared. Inside it were the words, "Servers have been locked down. Please communicate with the security squad of Lune to be permitted to communicate with those inside the borders of our cities."

Tygra grunted and closed the square. "You're right. It won't place the call."

"They're shutting us down soon. I get the feeling they're not telling us everything but there's not much to be done at this point. I might take a ship down to Tropo myself soon, bypass the mountains." Mi-Ao seemed to check something and said, "I've got to go, they're limiting my time. I'll try to place messages when they let us communicate. And I'll do what I can to look out for Matrae."

Xiame nodded. "Thank you. Take care of yourself, Mi-Ao."

"Will do." He nodded and his image faded, replaced by the message about locked servers. Tygra scowled. It made his stomach drop to realize they wouldn't talk to Mi-Ao again for months if not longer.

"They're overstepping their boundaries. This isn't even their home world and they think they can lock down feline communication? It's only because of Thundera leaving them be that they even exist. We could have wiped them out years ago and this is how they respond? Wars have started over less than this."

"Few think very clearly when they're afraid. Those that do should be generals." Xiame stood up, towering over his son. "You're worried."

"It's only my mother after all." Tygra leaned on the metal table. "I should've stayed up there longer. She told me I could stay as long as I wanted."

"Why didn't you?"

"I hate the cold, I missed my friends, and I worry about you too." He sat on the edge of the table, tail drooping moodily. "I don't know how she stays in such a remote place. I got tired of dealing with the Luna."

Xiame crossed the room, pacing. "I can understand that. Still, you can't head out to check on her whenever you want." He gave Tygra a pointed look. "Which is what you were wanting to do, is it not?"

"Obviously."

"I'd go, but you see why that would be a bad idea." Tygra nodded; there was little in the world his mother hated more than his father. "I can see about getting a group of city guards together to patrol trade caravans to the north. You could travel with them, but it'll be a few months before they go."

Tygra got up and mentally calculated how long that would take. "I'd be lucky to be able to check on her in a year. I'd rather get up there sooner and check her surroundings, maybe knock a few heads to let the Luna know to keep away."

"She's plenty capable of that herself," Xiame noted.

"So? She's my Mom. I want to look after her." Unlike someone, Tygra added mentally.

"I know…I know." Xiame broodingly looked up at the blank screen again. "I'm sorry son, but there's not much I can do. It's going to be job enough to keep the merchants calm. I'll see if there are any others heading north but that's the best I have to offer."

"Yeah. I know." Tygra reflected on how that didn't really seem like enough and went to the door. "I'll try to figure something out too. 'Night Dad."

"Goodnight son. But, before you go, could I ask you something?"

Tygra paused. "Why did you want to be here for my conference with Mi-Ao? You seemed a little more interested than usual in what's been going on up north."

Rapping his claws on the doorframe once, Tygra said, "No real reason. Just some things I've been hearing lately."

He went to bed after that. It was late but his mind was uneasy, and it took him until nearly dawn to get some sleep.

* * *

Cheetara looked at her bags and scratched her head. "Kind of makes me glad I don't have any frilly clothes. They'd be impossible to pack in these."

Two burlap sacks filled with clothes and a few grooming accoutrements sat on her bed in a cozy lump. She was debating on whether or not she had room for one more thing and she decided she'd make room. Opening one bag Cheetara pressed her stuffed kitty doll Misses Cuddlewhiskers – Yamese had bought the materials and Sai had helped her sew it, cutting a few locks of Cheetara's hair to make its tresses, and she'd been married to a teddy before he'd been tragically lost to an accident with a furnace and some exploding fluff – into the pack and heard the jingle of what money she'd saved in a little pouch as well. She'd left some of it for an emergency fund if something happened and Mama and Daddy needed the extra money for something.

It wouldn't be easy to carry all this. She felt a little dizzy with it all, really; she was waiting on someone she'd met a couple of times to show up and ask her to come with him to a dangerous place because she'd had a weird dream-vision thing. It sounded ridiculous. In fact, it was ridiculous.

But when she thought about staying and closed her eyes, she saw a flare of red eyes and could smell the faintest whiff of rotten teeth. Cheetara shuddered and lifted her bags with difficulty, setting them on the floor and sitting on her now bare bed. She'd packed her blanket to serve as a bedroll. She hoped it would do okay.

Her room had always been tiny and cramped but it was hers, and she had decorated it with little things over the years. Pictures and old toys on her shelf, a little rug on the wooden, creaky floor, and a little rack where her clothes hung, most of them the same tan and brown colors. Color dye was expensive, and she looked good in browns and oranges.

Now the clothes were gone, some of the pictures had been knocked over, and her toys looked abandoned. A couple of books were in her bags too and she double checked to make sure she had her copy of the scriptures and some of her favorite novels. She sighed.

What did it feel like to be gone from home for months and months? Probably horrible. She'd never been away from her parents for more than a week at a time. It made her stomach ache and she looked up at the ceiling. "You're going to have to help me with this. I'm only going because I'm…ninety-five percent sure that's what you want."

There was no answer, naturally. Cheetara got up and slung her bags over her back and started for the stairs.

The afternoon sun fell through the windows, deepening to gold as the minutes ticked by. Cheetara was restless as she helped throughout the day, running to and from the kitchen and washing dishes. If she was going to be gone she needed to help all she could today, or so she felt.

Dishes would still pile up and her mother and father would be left to do all she did, or they'd have to hire someone else. This made Cheetara's hands scrub more restlessly. She moved bigger things early, swept under the tables because it was getting hard for Daddy to do as he got older and his back pained him, she collected tabs so her mother wouldn't have to deal with the irritated grumbles…

Her bags sat in the kitchen and Cheetara felt strange when she looked at them. Her mother ignored them, but every so often Cheetara would see her check the time passing with a satisfied look on her face.

It wasn't her fault. It didn't make Cheetara angry. She just kept cleaning and working and waiting.

"If he does come," she said once, "I think you should rent my room out to someone. They can live with you and work for you. It'd be cheaper than hiring on a new hand."

Sai nodded vaguely. "We'll think about it. If you leave, that is."

There was one other thing bothering Cheetara, and that was convincing Tygra to come with them. He was supposed to go, and she supposed her mother might feel more at ease if he went. They'd been friends a few years after all, and were like nothing so much as siblings that bickered and looked out for each other. But he wouldn't like the idea, even though she got the strange feeling he wasn't as hostile as he'd acted. But she wasn't sure.

Perhaps she should go talk to him. See if Lion-O had gone to see him first. This seemed better than scrubbing a hole in the same spot of a table. She stopped, hand aching, and said aloud, "I think I'm going to go see Tygra. If Lion-O shows up, tell him I'll be back in a minute and not to leave." She looked at Yamese for confirmation. It wasn't as if she thought her mother would shoo Lion-O off, but her father seemed more open to all this. He nodded at her and she hurried to the door, trying to think of the straight paths to Tygra's house. If there wasn't traffic she could make it in a few minutes with her speed-

She pulled the door open and nearly collided with Lion-O, whose hand had been reaching for the knob. They bumped together and she yelped, tail sticking up. He blinked, jumping back as his fur puffed out. It made him look fluffy and Cheetara relaxed after she realized who it was. "Lion-O. Hi."

"Hello. Ah, I need to-" he began.

Cheetara put up a hand. "You changed your mind and want me to go with you?"

His lips halted and he blinked three times in quick succession.

"And Tygra needs to come too, right?"

One more blink. "How did you know that?"

Cheetara felt a peculiar mixture of despair and triumph curdling in her stomach. It rose to her throat and plummeted back down again. "Would you believe me if I said I had a dream that told me?"

"You're telling this to the guy who talks to an inanimate object. I asked the Sword three times because…well, I didn't believe it at first. It finally gave me a vision. I think it got mad at me." He was staring at her like she was an alien. "You're something different, I think."

Strangely Cheetara was pleased by the almost reverent way he said that. "If you say so. I'm all packed."

She turned around to see her mother holding her bags like two babies, resting on her hips. Yamese was standing behind her. Both sets of bright blue eyes were looking at her and Cheetara suddenly felt a little shy, more miserable than before. There was nothing to be said and she felt the silence on her back like a knife. She was aware of Lion-O shifting behind her and glanced at him. He looked rushed, hood up and his face shaded under it. His eyes were darker blue than her parents'. "I can wait outside for a minute," he said at last.

"No. I have a question or two for you young man." Sai stepped forward and squinted at him, eyes narrow and tail switching dangerously. "I don't understand what's going on. I know about what you've said, and that you're heading north. What I want to know is why my daughter's to be involved in it."

Lion-O seemed uncomfortable but he held her gaze. "It's not just her, ma'am. It's Tygra as well. The Sword brought me to this city for them. I thought it was just for the maps and to get rid of Slithe, but I think it wanted me to meet them." When she didn't look away he continued, "The Sword of Omens grants visions. It showed me a new one last night, and I saw myself in the north with six others. Three of them I couldn't make out, but the other three were visible. One of them was Panthro and the other two were your daughter and Tygra."

"A vision from you too?" Sai put down the bags and put her hands on her hips. "I'm tired of visions. First Cheetara is upset because of you and then she says she has a dream, and now you talk about seeing things! Nothing is making sense!"

"Mama, it's not his fault. I'm sorry but I have to go. I know it." Cheetara lowered her head and embraced her mother, breathing in hard to keep the scent.

Sai tightened her grip around her daughter. "I just don't understand. All these problems, all this fighting…why do they have anything to do with you?" she whispered.

"I don't know. I just know that something bad will happen if I stay here." Cheetara kissed her mother's cheek. "It'll be okay. I love you Mama." She turned to her father and he hugged her first. "Love you Daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart." He gave her a kiss in return. "Here, take this with you." Putting a little pouch in her palm, Cheetara heard the jingle of coins and tried to hand it back.

"I can't take-"

"Cheetara." His face was stern. "I am going to lose enough sleep knowing that you're traveling with strange cats in dangerous territory. At least give me the benefit of knowing you'll be able to buy food."

Sai was looking at Lion-O again almost savagely. "My daughter is going to travel with strangers. The least you can do is tell us more about why you've been sent on this mission. Why were you selected? Do you have any credentials?"

He lowered his chin. "I can't say. I serve the king himself, but anyone could claim that I suppose. But, maybe I can do something." He looked up, noting that the bar was sparsely populated, and that no one sat near them. "If you had some proof of her importance to this venture, would that help you?"

Sai paused and nodded. "I suppose it would be helpful to know this is what the Creator wants her to do, and that this is his guidance."

"All right." Lion-O moved his cloak a little so that the hilt of Sword of Omens was visible. "May I?" He held out a hand and she placed her fingers in his palm. He then looked down, eyes soft, and whispered, "Sword of Omens, this is really important. For just a moment, give her sight beyond sight."

Sai stiffened and Cheetara jumped toward her mother. Lion-O was perfectly still, eyes almost sleepy, and the woman let go of his paw almost as quickly as he'd finished speaking. Sai bent slightly, eyes wide, and Lion-O knelt to help her.

"I'm fine. Give me a minute." He hesitated and Sai stood up, breathing deeply. Her eyes focused again and she looked at Lion-O. Her face was wary now rather than hostile. "That really is the Sword of Omens, isn't it?"

"Yes. It's conserving power, so I'm sorry the vision was short." He held the short blade thoughtfully. "It doesn't show visions to just anyone. You must have a good heart."

Cheetara watched her mother, wondering at the change on her face. It was like dawn breaking over a dark land, crushing the shadows and leaving uneasy, bright shapes. "I see. Cheetara?"

"Yes Mama?"

Her mother stooped to pick up the bags and then handed them over. "Be careful."

This acceptance nearly overwhelmed her. Cheetara had to blink hard. "What did you see?"

"I can't say. It's not to be said. But he's right. This is what you're supposed to do." Sai touched her daughter's hair, fingers resting in the thick gold. "I still don't understand the whole thing, but it's meant to happen."

Cheetara kissed her once more. Sai then whirled and pointed one finger at Lion-O.

"If you even think of hurting my daughter, I'll find you and kill you." This was said so simply that there was no risk of it being a joke. Rather than being perturbed Lion-O inclined his head.

"I understand, ma'am. We're to bring Tygra as well though, if that eases your mind."

Her hard face softened slightly. "I suppose." She shook her head. "I must be careless, letting you leave like this."

Cheetara hefted her bags against her chest. "I'll send you a message as soon as we reach another town. It really is going to be all right Mama. I know it."

She turned to Lion-O. "So. You don't know where Tygra lives, do you?"

His cheeks reddened. "Not really. Oh, here…"

Lion-O took her bags and slung them over one shoulder easily. "We have means of travel. You won't have to carry those everywhere." Relieved, Cheetara stopped one more time to kiss her parents again and then – before she could lose her resolve – she stepped out the door, Lion-O following her as the door clicked shut.

They stood outside for a moment, Cheetara crossing her arms. "I must be crazy," she said at last.

"What, leaving your home and family to travel with strangers for reasons you barely understand?" Lion-O waited beside her, tipping his head to one side. "I think it's brave."

She eyed him. "Even with the whole vision thing?"

"That's not too surprising, actually. There are records of priests and prophetesses in the Imperial City having visions over the ages." This made her lift her head and perk her ears. "Perhaps you have a gift. Have your ancestors shown any signs of seeing visions? It's often passed down through the bloodline." He started walking beside her and Cheetara began to pick her way through the streets and people. She sensed he was trying to distract her and that he seemed to feel guilty for asking her to come. It was sweet.

"I have no idea. My parents have taken care of me since I was an infant, and they never knew who my biological parents were." Cheetara looked back only once at the Fancy Feline with her scarred wood and cozy smells. Her heart felt thick and heavy, and to take another step felt like tearing something in it.

She tore loose as she looked away. "Come on, Tygra lives this way. We need to leave as soon as we can."

* * *

Tygra watched the sun dip lower toward the horizon. It was like a great biscuit falling into a dark drink, and he wished he had some candy brew tea. Little pleased him so much as a good tea, and candy brew tea was a mix of strong herbs and dried candyfruit husk, boiled together for a sweet, hot drink.

But he had no tea. Only a lot of thoughts and a very twitchy tail.

His quarters were relatively large, neat enough and stacked with books and notes. His interests were many and varied and he had run out of space on his shelves years ago. Now they rested on the smooth floor in perfect stacks. Organized chaos, that was how he liked it.

Tygra had tried twelve times to reach Matrae and each time he met the same screen. He was getting ready to pitch a fit and try to send a message to the Lune security force. Safety his tail fur, if a cat wanted to check on his mother he should be able to.

He actually ended up writing an irate note to the security division, going back and deleting some of the more vitriolic statements before he sent it. It bounced right back to him; they were accepting no messages from the south at all. Speechless, Tygra tried to think of a good reason for this. If even the security forces were refusing to communicate, other cities and powers would be infuriated and cut off. Trade would suffer even more, or at the very least merchants would start taking to underground movements to get their goods in and out illegally. Good and bad alike had to make a living. The black market would explode with growth-

He froze. He'd been tapping a key on the screen's board in irritation and he turned this thought over and over. That was it. To any outsiders it would look like the Luna were trying to cut down on Mutation trade, but knowing them and the way they were, Tygra could easily see their black market getting stronger and richer because of this. Goods would be smuggled everywhere, and it would be ten times as hard to stop the materials for Mutation synthesis from getting in because there would be more trade to track and bust.

Lion-O was right. Something was very, very wrong.

And of course his mother lived in the center of it all. The woman was stubborn, and Tygra sighed as he thought of her. Certainly she could take his father in battle easily, but with all these Luna and the Alliance brewing…

"Sire?" He lifted his head in spite of himself, hoping perhaps one of his mother's servants had received one of his many messages. No such luck; one of the household workers was in the doorway, not on the screen. "Cheetara is here. She's with a lion and says she has to speak to you."

Tygra absorbed this and got up. "'With a 'lion' huh? Why am I not surprised?"

He descended the stairs hazardously, claws skimming the railing until he reached the bottom and crossed the entrance hall. It was hardly a villa but even Dera's Run had a few nobles, and Xiame was one of them. This house had been in his family since long before Tygra's birth, a gift to an ancestor for his tribe's aid to Thundera in an attack. Claudus's great-grandfather if he recalled correctly. The king had given the tigers citizenship for their aid and though they were hardly important in the scheme of Thundera's politics, the tigers were nothing to be sniffed at. The house was clean and refined, the closest thing to a fine house any of Dera's Run had ever seen. Tygra had seen finer, but it was home and he liked it almost as much as his mother's house. It was warmer at any rate.

The flat, glassy floor was pleasant to walk on and his claws tick-ticked as he crossed it. Tygra opened another door and looked out onto the threshold of the front door.

Cheetara was standing there and Lion-O was there with her, head covered by a hood. "Hi. Remember how I offered to go with them and then Lion-O said no?"

Cheetara spoke quickly and Tygra nodded once. "Yeah."

"Well he's changed his mind. I'm going with him and Panthro." His eyebrows rose. "I had a vision," she explained, and Tygra's brows lowered again. "You're supposed to come too, not to sound weird or anything."

Tygra looked at Lion-O, realizing he was carrying Cheetara's bags for her. At least his manners were fairly good. "Anything you want to add at this point?"

"No, she's covering it quite succinctly." Lion-O shifted. "Although I'd like to add that I've had a vision of you traveling with us as well, and that's she's not going crazy. The Sword of Omens told me your help is needed."

Tygra leaned on the doorframe. "Look, whatever you're up to isn't funny. The traders up north are really freaking out and I've got family to worry about. If Cheetara's been convinced about all this I can't help it, although I can advise her not to be so gullible." He shot her a look and she sighed.

"I called it."

Lion-O gave Tygra a long, appraising stare. "The traders are afraid? Because of Mutation?"

"Among other things. Corrupt leaders, black markets, potential economic meltdown. Nothing so mythological as the end of the world." He tapped his fingers restlessly. "I don't have time for this, I've got to figure out a way to get to Icla as soon as possible. Cheetara, do your parents know you're wanting to run around with this guy?"

"I was hoping you'd come. It would put their minds at ease," she said. Then she perked up a little. "Wait, Icla? Where your Mom is?"

"Yeah. Things are getting nasty around there, and going there on one's own is suicide." Tygra paused at the thoughtful looks on Cheetara and Lion-O's faces and scowled. "Hang on-"

"You could travel with us! Tygra, Icla is right by Lune, what are the chances that you'd be wanting to head north the same time we are?" Cheetara looked at Lion-O. "We could stop there to check on a tigress, couldn't we? Her name's Matrae."

Tygra was about to say something a little ruder than usual but Lion-O spoke immediately. "Sure. We can leave immediately and travel faster than a group of guards, if time is your concern." He glanced at Tygra out of the corner of his eye. "We have to go southeast to Tropo and then head straight north to avoid the worst of the mountain ranges, but with our vehicle it shouldn't be more than a few months. According to your own city's captain of the guard. There should be enough time before the winter months bring ice through the passes."

Tygra had to stop and think about this for a moment and found his protests meekly dying. He'd traveled with strangers before to Icla and Lune and it hadn't been very bad. And these people were ready to leave right now, whereas if he missed this chance he wouldn't be able to leave for months. And by that time the ice might be moving through, taking even longer.

Tigers were not inclined to chase a problem in circles any more than prey. They killed it quick.

He met Lion-O's eye. "I'm not going to Lune. But I'll travel as far as Icla with you and Cheetara. Try anything funny on us and I'll knock the stuffing out of you."

She frowned at this hostility but Lion-O merely smiled. "That was easier than I expected."

"Hey, it's my mother. What else am I going to do?" Tygra grunted. "Wait inside if you want, I'll pack and tell Dad I'm leaving again." He turned around and they entered, Lion-O watched Tygra disappear down the hall.

"He does this sort of thing often?"

"What, run off on his dad? Yeah. They're on good terms but there's a history." Seeing Lion-O's curious look Cheetara muttered, "Don't ask. It's a sensitive topic."

"Something to do with why his mother lives a quarter of the planet north?" Lion-O's ears twitched at a door in the distance. "Very well. I'll keep my questions silent."

"Thanks."

It took half an hour for Tygra to return, dressed in darker clothes and with a solid knapsack. "Pop's not happy but he wished us luck." He shrugged. "So we going or what?"

Outside the walls of Dera's Run was an open place. There were no mountains around for leagues, only flat grasslands and gently sloping hills further off. The sun was nearly gone and the brush looked dark in its dying light, sky staining red and purple as a bruise. Cheetara had been outside the walls many times and Tygra even more so, but leaving them this was made the place seem tinier, weaker.

Cheetara heard an annoyed sound and turned her head. Panthro was standing several feet from the gates of the city, and he'd been talking to the guards posted outside by the looks of things. His expression was a disappointed one. "So they agreed."

"Yeah. They did." The panther fell in beside Lion-O, eying the two newcomers.

"I'm only going as far as Icla, so let's not say I 'agreed' to anything," Tygra said. Panthro didn't acknowledge this, lowering his head and whispering something to Lion-O, who returned with a short reply.

"…Find out…"

"Not now. The Sword…"

Cheetara wanted to eavesdrop but her conscience fought her eardrums. Not to mention they were very quiet whispers.

"Whoa." Tygra stopped and Cheetara glanced back at him and then in the direction he was staring. Just ahead was the vehicle Lion-O had mentioned. And it was unlike anything she'd ever seen before.

It was huge and silver, big enough for someone of Panthro's bulk and several others. She could see the seats – she supposed they could be covered – and realized that this machine was not some carriage. It was built for combat. Out of the front gouged several fangs in the face of a feral cat, and white metal mixed with silver along the sides, covering weaponry. It was made to tear up terrain and bulldoze through the leagues.

"Is that a Thundertank?" Tygra gave Lion-O and Panthro an incredulous look. Lion-O was placing Cheetara's belongings in the back as if approaching a piece of refined destruction was a daily thing. "An Omega-class tank? With the latest weapon-tech design?"

"Yep." Panthro looked almost in the neighborhood of pleased. "With my own personal touches of course."

Tygra no longer seemed suspicious. He let Lion-O take his bag and approached, eying the machine with awe. Lion-O took the sack without complaint and Cheetara rolled her eyes, closing the trunk after he put it in beside hers. "One way to a boy's heart, show him something metal with wheels that can blow stuff up."

Lion-O grinned. "Boys don't grow up Cheetara. We always like things that blow stuff up."

"With these weapons connected to the power source, won't it overheat?" Tygra was asking, poking around on the panels.

"Nah, I've got two Thundrillium cores in there instead of the standard one. They swap off and share the load so if one starts getting hot the other takes the brunt of the work. It allows it to travel longer as well." Panthro was as stalwart as ever, but it seemed that the way to make him talk was asking about this metal thing. Cheetara watched Tygra inspect it and continue firing off questions.

She leaned toward Lion-O. "I think this is the start of a beautiful bromance."

"Maybe. He still won't let me drive, so if Tygra's wanting to get behind the wheel he's going to have to work harder than that." Lion-O looked between the front and the back. "Would you like to sit up front?"

"Huh?" The idea of sitting in the thing hadn't yet crossed her mind. The sharp angles made her shift uncomfortably. "Oh. Um, no. I'll run for a bit. I'm kind of jittery right now."

Panthro heard this as he was getting in and Tygra got in one of the back seats, looking at the different control panels over the panther's shoulder. "You think you can keep up?"

Cheetara arched an eyebrow. "Why don't we see?"

Where this light-hearted act came from she wasn't sure. Her stomach was rolling over and over, but she felt better to know Tygra was coming along. They pestered each other and the familiarity was a comfort. It felt a little less insane knowing he had been persuaded to come.

Even so she was leaving home, going very far away in a very short amount of time.

And yet, behind the terror was something like excitement. Tropo, Lune, the King's Door…there were things to see, and she was ready to go if it meant running out to meet the wild world.

In the back of her mind, attached to her heart by a thread, was the thought, "I'll make things better for Mama and Daddy. Just watch. I'll come back and things will be better."

And besides, she was being challenged to a race. Cheetara never lost a race.

With that her reluctance vanished and she heard the engine start up and roar. Lion-O put on his seatbelt in the passenger seat – he seemed to do so with care, perhaps fearing Panthro's driving – and Cheetara grinned. "Where to?"

Panthro didn't smile but he said, "Rana Pass. It's about ten leagues ahead and then we'll start heading southeast along it. If you need me to slow down just wave and I'll pick you up." He gave Lion-O a look which Lion-O returned, jaw set. As if some battle of wills had been waged, Panthro looked ahead again, exasperated.

Cheetara openly laughed, set herself to the ground, and took off in a whirlwind of dust and dead grass. Panthro coughed in the aftermath and Lion-O put down his goggles to block the debris, eyes following the golden screech as it shrank in the distance.

"…She didn't say go," Panthro said after a minute. Lion-O started laughing and Tygra held on to the side as the tank started up and seared over the ground, roaring like a great animal after Cheetara's heels.

* * *

"So, they'll be making their way to Lune? They'll come here on the way to Tropo."

Slithe's messenger screen crackled. It was an older model to be worn on the wrist. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I've gotten a good head start; I'll wait on the old paths outside Rana Village and attack when they come by. It's the only road around. They'll be out of the way after that." He reached into his belt with a practiced move, dark claws selecting one of many green canisters and taking it out. "I thought I'd let you know about the antimutagen before I transformed again. It works a little too well." His steps were slow and heavy, but he swiped his tail along behind to wipe out the prints. It would be impossible to know which lizard kind had been on this path if they even bothered to check. The dirt was nearly gray and he gauged the distance he had to travel by the stars. Even a tank couldn't beat him with this head start once he turned. The moon hung low and the sky was black, and his pupils widened when he turned from the moon's brightness.

"I don't want it interfering. We've nearly gotten everything settled and the next shipment from Tropo will give us enough to wage war on your enemies and mine."

"Thundera, yesss?" He hated that lisp.

"Of course." Her voice was smooth. A lie was laced into it like silk. "The Alliance will have its revenge on this oppressor."

"And what of the Heart of the World?"

The screen crackled again. "The Harbinger is still feeding. My spell will weaken it if we hurry."

"You thought that you'd stop it last time, and look what happened to your world. You even had an army then."

She sighed. "I was foolish. Not this time. The army will wear him down and then I'll use my magic. But you need to keep Thunderans busy and make sure to stir Thundera's fears. Our armies won't be ready for a while yet. I had hoped that the experiments you set loose would throw them off the trail."

Slithe took off the lid and eyed the syringe. "Fine. It's all fine to me; if the Harbinger destroys Thundera, well and good. If it destroys everything on Third Earth, it's all the same. But you'd best make good on your promise about the Heart of Plundarr."

"I'm working on it. It'll be a while before I can use resources to find what I need. But news of this servant to the king bothers me. Go and be ready to kill him. Get rid of those cats or the deal is off."

He hissed. "You promised!"

"Oh, and what are you going to do? Brave the colds of Lune to come destroy me?" She snorted. "You'd die in minutes in our ice. Just kill them and we'll be on good terms."

The screen shut off and he tucked the wristband into his belt, which he unbuckled and then placed upon his neck. It was buckled again and hung almost to the ground. He also took off his loincloth, standing naked in the flat air. "We'd better, witch. You underestimate me at your peril."

The syringe broke through his scales and he didn't wince this time. The burning was good, it meant it had penetrated into his bloodstream. He quickly put the vial away.

Twenty seconds later a great, thorny creature rose from the dead grassland. Its green scales were like jade chips and burning in the grooves, and the yellow eyes blazed as it opened its filmy wings. Slithe's belt was around its neck like a black collar and his loincloth hung from its claws. The size of a tank and just as deadly, it exploded into the night air and dove into the dark, throat boiling with the thirst for feline blood.

 **End of Episode 2**


	3. Chapter 3

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 3**

 **Muddy Problems, Part 1**

* * *

The first night was the worst. Cheetara did not like to complain but her blanket was not thick enough to provide warmth and also protect her from the ground. The tank would have been hard to sleep in because there wasn't enough room for all of them to lay down and she refused to be the only one not to tolerate rocks under her. She already knew Panthro didn't want her or Tygra along – his expression when she took nearly twenty minutes to start a fire said enough – and she had already decided she wasn't going to ask his assistance on anything. Yeah, she was a city cat. That didn't mean she couldn't use her head. She'd show him.

She ran for about an hour before feeling winded enough to get in the Thundertank without feeling nervous. The scenery slowed when she did, and Cheetara found that conversation was quite impossible over the roar. Three hours passed before they finally stopped and Panthro told everyone to set up camp.

Maybe he'd been annoyed she'd been so much faster than his tank. Perhaps that was why he'd had her start the fire on her own. Lion-O and Tygra had protested, but in a way that only made her more inclined to do it alone. She was a girl but she was just as capable as they were. At least they wanted to help out of kindness, which made the bitter taste of embarrassment a little more tolerable. Panthro didn't want her along and he didn't pretend otherwise. It was a method of shaming her.

Tygra and Panthro were both asleep in minutes after their bedrolls hit the ground and Cheetara settled in as Lion-O took the first watch, wondering if rumors of brigands and thieves on the roads were accurate. His ears were round on the edges just like most breeds of bigger cats, and it was fun to watch them swivel and flick as he listened. She was hungry but didn't want to be the first to complain, particularly when none of the boys showed any sign of wanting to eat.

"We're not wasting rations when we ate five hours ago. The fire's to ward off animals and keep the cold at a livable level. We'll eat in the morning." Panthro's taciturn way was already annoying her as she punched herself in the stomach to keep it from growling.

Lion-O didn't take his hair out of his ponytail she noted, wondering at his posture. He sat very neatly, back straight, for hours at a time. Her back would have ached but he was unaffected, perfectly composed. Perhaps it came with being a page for royals; they were often trained from a young age to have absolute dignity and restraint for their noble masters.

Perhaps she should have run harder to wear herself out. Too bad the tank was so much slower than she was. Looking up the sides of the ravine made her feel like she was in the throat of a monster, seeing the sky between rocky lips and teeth. The fire was soothing and she took out her copy of the scriptures, reading it instead.

Lion-O glanced at her over his shoulder. "Homesick?"

Cheetara put her book down on her stomach. "Yeah." There was also a rock under her back that was just plain vindictive, and her stomach was shifting in hunger. She rolled onto her side to look at him more easily. "It's so weird. Every night I have a routine where Mama helps comb my hair and that's what I miss right now. It's kind of silly; I've only been gone a couple hours."

"Makes sense. Now that you've got to break the habit it feels weird." He scanned her blanket and added, "We'll get you a thicker bedroll when we pass a town. That should help. Rana Village isn't far according to my map."

She smiled at him, remembering something. "Did you come to Dera's Run to get maps? Or did you really also come because the Sword of Omens wanted you to find us?"

Lion-O chewed his lower lip. "I don't know exactly. There were other cities I could get maps from, but when we passed them I felt like…something wasn't there. Panthro recommended Dera's Run because it's small and doesn't tend to attract much crime. When we arrived, I felt like I was supposed to be there. And then I met you and Tygra. Not to mention Slithe showed up." He lifted the side of his cloak a little, looking at the silvery hilt of the Sword of Omens. "I think it knows what it wants. It just doesn't feel like spending any energy to tell me directly."

"How nice of it." Cheetara looked up at the sky, tracing what was visible of a constellation. "You said there were others in the vision."

"Hm? Oh. Yeah, there were." Lion-O looked up at the sky too. "I don't know who they were. They seemed blurry." His brows creased. "This is going to sound weird, but they were all small, one much tinier than the other two. You don't think the Sword wants us to bring kids do you? Or even a baby?"

Cheetara started rolling a lock of blond mane around her finger. "That would be pretty crazy. But who knows? Not like I'm an expert on the Sword of Omens," she added, letting her hair spring away from her claw.

"Neither am I. I just wondered what you thought." Looking a little embarrassed, Lion-O said, "It's nice to have someone along that's had visions. It makes me feel less crazy."

"You say there are priests and prophetesses in the Imperial City. Are visions so rare there?" Cheetara opened her pack and took out some bread, fed up. Panthro was snoring loud enough to wake a deaf man and he would never have to know. She offered Lion-O a piece, which he declined.

"They are. Those of the temples pray and fast often but they rarely receive any messages. I think the Sword only gives me visions because the king made me the steward of it until I return it to him. You though…you're different." He wrapped his cloak around him a little better. "The Creator gives you visions, and your senses are heightened. You might be a descendant of a prophetess."

Cheetara had not often wondered about her biological parents – she'd never known them and Sai and Yamese had given her all the love and adoration a girl could want – but now she felt the tug of curiosity. Not to mention homesickness; it was hard to believe she wouldn't see her parents again for months.

"I might've liked a little more warning," she admitted. Lion-O seemed to find this funny but his smile was a little sad.

"I appreciate your kindness. You were very selfless to offer to help us, and your parents were to let you come as well." He hesitated for a moment and Cheetara waited. "I have to admit, I didn't expect any help other than Panthro at first. I don't think he believed me when I thought more people would end up coming along."

"It makes me feel better to think that the Creator is on our side." Cheetara leaned on her arm. "He wouldn't have sent me along – and Tygra by extension – if he weren't."

Lion-O nodded and she found herself absurdly pleased by his plain acceptance. Tygra would have debated her endlessly, which, depending on mood and vitriol for the two, could end up a good-natured debate or a real argument. Lion-O seemed a little downcast though.

"It's frightening in a way. Whatever we're dealing with must be something powerful if it was decided that Panthro and I would need help." He looked at the Sword and his jaw set. "You should try to sleep. We'll have a full day of traveling tomorrow, and we can stop by Rana Village to get a few more supplies. It'll be a trek to make it."

Feeling the rock against her back Cheetara rolled over. "I'll try."

She didn't see him but she got the feeling Lion-O was smiling again. "Try counting back from two hundred."

Cheetara rolled her eyes before she shut them and obeyed. She conked out somewhere around seventy-four.

* * *

"And I thought Dera's Run was a little place. I've seen market centers bigger than this dump." Tygra examined the bottom of his foot. "Did I just…oh it's mud. Thank goodness."

Cheetara had to smooth her hair; sitting in the Thundertank had been as unnerving today as yesterday, and her tail was numb in spite of stopping several times across the plains to stretch. The wind had torn at her mane and turned it into a tangled mess. Panthro seemed to have no issue trucking on for hours and hours but she saw Lion-O repeatedly fiddling with his tail as if it were falling asleep.

Snaring her claws on a particularly sore tangle, she finally gave up. This town didn't seem as if it were used to refined people anyway. The roads were all earthy and muddy, and the houses were made of river clay and thatched-roofs, and she only spotted a few exceptions in the distance. Cheetara spotted a little boy, breeches spattered, being hauled off by what looked like his mother. She had him by one ear and was scolding him loudly.

Somebody gave her a sound pinch on the behind. She stiffened and turned around to see a very short, dusty cat smirk at her. Tygra raised an eyebrow but Lion-O – jaw dropping at the move – grabbed the fellow by his collar. "'Ey, 'ey! What's the big idea?!"

"You will apologize." Lion-O didn't release the greasy collar and the cat squirmed. The lion sounded quietly outraged. Tygra cracked his knuckles with a crooked tilt to his mouth, as if he found something very funny.

"Fine, fine! Sorry." Lion-O released him and he muttered, slouching away between the waists of other cats. "Ain't like I grabbed your girl's little tits."

Tygra had a coin pouch in his hand where he hadn't before. He gave this to a nearby lady, who seemed shocked. "He nicked that from you," he explained. She glowered after the other cat and gave Tygra a certain smile before moving on.

Lion-O blinked. "I had no idea he'd stolen anything." He looked up at Panthro. The dark cat had watched the exchange without a word.

"You have to be more aware of your surroundings in a town like this. Dera's Run had an honor system, but I don't think this place even has any guards. Criminals have free reign. Misdirection is their bread and butter. It's pretty sad; in the times of our ancestors it was a good, clean place that was grand for trade. But when scumbags moved in they polluted everything." Panthro's gray eyes rested on Tygra. "Quick fingers for a noble cat."

"What can I say?" Tygra shrugged and waggled his pale fingers in a debonair flick. "It's beneath me to use my sleight of hand to harm the innocent, but if someone's stealing they're fair game. Thievery is pretty common in the nastier places and this burg is no exception. I had a cousin who taught me to pickpocket. Of course, it was harder for him to teach me once he lost his hands for stealing…"

Lion-O seemed rather embarrassed. Cheetara patted his back, secretly pleased that he'd been so angered on her behalf. "Don't worry, I didn't notice either. Tygra's just used to dens of sin, aren't you?"

"May-be." The tiger scanned the road, continuing on through the gloomy houses. "You would have noticed if it had been in a bar scene though."

"That's different. The bar is where I worked, and I know the ins and outs of those people." Cheetara glanced down, chin to her collar bone. Lion-O noticed this and cocked his head. "I know they're tiny. But how rude was it for him to say that?"

Lion-O didn't seem to know what to say to this. "…Very. Cheetahs are leaner cats by nature aren't they? So they don't…well, their structure is slightly different. And…"

Cheetara lifted one eyebrow. He was trying to look and yet not look at the same time, which was very funny.

Cheetahs were lighter cats in many ways, and she'd never been the most voluptuous of girls in the torso. How by the spirit pride was she supposed to run fast if she had to worry about hitting herself in the face? It had been a subject of teasing when she was a pancake of a teen, but nobody dared to laugh at her once they saw how fast she was, and how fast her foot could wind up in their behind.

She elbowed Lion-O. "What were you going to say?"

"Nothing."

"Oh come on, tell me. Tell 'your girl.'"

His face was warm. "It's silly, I don't-"

Panthro tapped the back of Lion-O's head. He paused and turned to look over his shoulder. "There's a market stall up there. If we need another bedroll we can get it there, and there are a few items that Dera's Run didn't have that I'd like to check for."

"All right. And I take it I go with you?" Panthro grunted and Lion-O looked around. "Cheetara, do you want to come with us? Tygra?"

"I'll go." Cheetara wanted to take a look at the wares. Even the toughest of women liked a shopping venture every now and again, even for something as mundane as a bedroll.

Tygra glanced further up the road. "I think I'll look around up there a little. I won't go far, and I'll be back in an hour."

Lion-O nodded. "Okay. Stay within earshot. We don't want to get separated." He hesitated and checked his side for the Sword and the weird golden gauntlet, tucking it more carefully to his side and making sure it was securely covered. "I'll feel it if anyone tries to reach it," he murmured.

Even so, Cheetara walked right next to him so anyone going for the blade would have to get around her. Tygra disappeared into the crowd and she kept one ear tuned for his voice.

She found that the dark cloths slung overhead and the large mud huts and tents made her miss the market in Dera's Run. This place smelled weird, and nothing escaped the mark of dust and mire. It was a shock compared to the bright primary colors and soft, clean cloths of Dera's Run. Maybe home wasn't as dirty as she'd thought. Cheetara shifted in the dirt. "Why is this place so wet? The plains we crossed weren't this way."

"They were on an incline. It's a long, shallow basin from here to ten leagues east, so any rainwater travels downhill." That Panthro answered surprised her. "It collects in the ground, making it moist. The plains are dry because they're just a little too steep for much rain to be absorbed. Dera's Run is outside the incline so its rain stays in place and keeps it lush without stagnating. But that excess water has to go somewhere."

"Oh." So Rana Village was basically a big mud puddle. "Gee…are there any sinkholes or anything?"

"Several. Most of them are outside the village and marked with colored flags. If you see those, hightail it out of the area. They can suck down a tank in a minute." Panthro grinned unkindly when she paled. This was even more frightening than when he snarled. "One second you're standing, the next you're six feet under the mud."

Lion-O paused and turned, shooting Panthro the coldest look Cheetara had seen from him. The amiable blue eyes looked like chunks of ice, and his face sharpened. Panthro only scowled back and Lion-O finally turned away.

They stepped into a tent with a low-hanging entrance and Panthro had to bend over to make it without swiping the cloth. A wispy, pale cat and a wet-looking frog the color of algae smiled and welcomed them.

"Please view the Croaky Cat's wares at your leisure. If you have any questions, let us know." They spoke in unison and Cheetara wondered how they'd gotten the act down so well. Panthro stood off to the side, examining herbs and dried plants.

Lion-O went with her, wandering to the other side where there were folded blankets and sacks. He picked out a tan lump. "This one's thick, which will be good when we head north." He pinched the fabric and frowned. "I'm not familiar with this kind of cloth though."

"Ah, that's a special kind." The pale cat smiled. They'd followed the two and Cheetara fought to keep her tail down when the fellow's breath was on her neck. Poor manners it would be to hiss and screech with her fur on end.

The frog jumped in, "Yes indeed. It's made of giantor-hide."

Lion-O's fingers snapped back as if burnt. "Giantor…what?"

"Oh yes. When they die, giantor skin dries out into a lovely material, perfect for sturdy, thick cloth."

"Natural causes, of course," the frog said serenely. Neither of the pair blinked and Lion-O and Cheetara exchanged looks. "They don't bury their dead, they just leave them behind to rejoin nature when the tribe moves on. We find the bodies and snip-snip-snip."

Cheetara tugged at Lion-O's arm. "Ah, maybe something less…organic." They wandered to the corner and Cheetara resisted a shudder. "Okay, seriously creepy."

Lion-O glanced over the fabrics here and picked one out. "This one okay?"

"Sure. As long as it's not cat hide or something."

"No, it's just a kind of cotton." His tail was writhing. "Come on, let's pay and get out." He too was shaken, but he hid it better. Some giantors were friendly, hulking creatures though they were. None of them could speak Thunderan but they weren't as dumb as beasts. It made her feel a little queasy; they communicated with their own kind and one or two had traded in Dera's Run before, grunting and tapping to count out coins for what they wanted to receive for their goods and the prices they were willing to pay. Using that skin would be wrapping up in a person.

She managed to keep her cool as they got the other bedroll and Panthro got some herbs. Leaving the Croaky Cat, Cheetara exhaled. "Okay, please tell me we can leave now."

"Why? Not enjoying the rustic scenery?" Panthro asked sardonically. "You wanted to come with us…"

"Panthro," Lion-O said, tinging toward anger, "I don't like it here either. I saw some other things in there that would be illegal in the Imperial City. Why anyone would actually enjoy coming here is beyond me."

"Yeah, yeah…I know. But this is the kind of place we're going to have to go through, boys and girls. This is an ancient settlement, and laws here are very different. Neutral territory by declaration of all the surrounding governments. Makes trade cheap and easy." Panthro watched over the heads of the other cats and creatures for Tygra. "Well, whenever Tygra gets back here we'll head out. We can make it outside the town borders before night if we hurry, and if you don't like it here during the day, you really wouldn't like it at night. Ever seen a couple of brothel girls in a mud fight? It's more depressing than it sounds, and there are more than one when the sun goes down."

Cheetara waited beside Lion-O, arms crossing around the bedroll. It was warm and not very heavy and she rather liked the rough feel of the cloth. "Hey Lion-O?"

"Hm?"

"Remember how you said you can't tell us some things?"

"Yes." He offered to carry the object for her but she hugged it closer.

"What were you talking about?"

Lion-O's lips parted. "Well…if you ever ask something in particular I'll explain it a bit more. But it's nothing very important if you ask me."

Panthro snorted, the closest thing to laughter she'd heard from him. But when Lion-O sighed he looked appropriately sorry. Meaning his quirked mouth lowered again and he seemed surlier than ever.

Cheetara wanted to ask more but decided that his answer had been just vague enough to be annoying, not curiosity-inducing. She scanned the crowd for Tygra, wondering when he'd get back. He was pretty good at keeping quiet in strange places from what he'd told her about his ventures. And if nothing else he could turn invisible.

But darn it all, that boy could get in a pile of trouble and laugh like a maniac about it too. It all depended on his mood for the day.

Suddenly nervous, Cheetara's tail twitched and she sat down on a nearby barrel to wait. Catching sight of her, Lion-O read the worry on her face. "Don't worry. If he's not back in fifteen minutes we'll go find him."

Feeling a little better, she willed her tail to be still and tried to think of something to do while they waited.

There was a long pause. "Anyone want to play spot the spot?"

Lion-O seemed bewildered. "What?"

"Y'know, spot the spot. You describe something and the other person tries to guess what you're looking at?" Cheetara watched his blank expression grow blanker and felt something weirdly sad. Maybe noble children in the Imperial City played different games? "Here, I'll start. Sit down." He obeyed, leaning on the barrel with her. "Okay. See, you start off by saying, 'I spot, with my eye on a dot, something colored red…'"

* * *

Tygra did not mind the sight of a tiny, crummy village so much as the smell. It was dank and too similar to sweaty feet for his liking. Still, unexpected treasures could be found by examining the city and searching through what it had to offer. He wandered for several minutes, eyes skimming over the weird and interesting wares.

Well, all right, so most of it was actually kind of dirty and boring. There was plenty of weirdness at any rate.

He could not say he trusted Lion-O or Panthro completely, but he hadn't seen them do anything dishonorable, and Lion-O seemed to have it in his head that he wanted to look out for Cheetara. This nudged Tygra closer to liking him in spite of Lion-O aggravating tendency to clam up. Tygra and Cheetara fought plenty, but they were family. She was too sensible to care about a pinch from a stranger, but Lion-O had freaked out. It had been almost hilarious…if slightly chivalrous. That girl could outrun either of the two if they did try something.

Tygra shook his head. If Lion-O was getting a crush on Cheetara – Tygra knew that awkward, wide-eyed look – he'd need the help of any mythological Creator to get her to reciprocate. He'd often joked the girl would join a commune one day. Tygra had been friends with her for a few years, and yet the only thing he knew about her taste in dating was that she didn't do it. She was extremely picky when it came to men, and it didn't help that she had the reputation for being a prude in layman's terms – in her own words, "I'm not some alley cat. The Creator says you should be married." A beautiful woman that didn't put out was not popular in dating life in Dera's Run. Not when there were easier girls aplenty in the world.

People assumed they were an item because they were often together, but this wasn't so; they'd never dated and they'd never been inclined toward each other. They had too much fun bickering and snapping, and while it was a great practice for something like siblings, married couples that did it tended to divorce far too often. He would not think of his parents, shifting his thoughts away.

Besides, she wouldn't date an agnostic if her life depended on it. She was pretty tolerant of his nonbelief, their debates aside, but it was easier for a friend to be so than a partner. Cheetara made a grand sister and – sometimes – something close to a mother. Her family had been kind when Matrae left, and Tygra liked feeling like a son in a non-dysfunctional family. That, and she reminded him so much of his mother that it was frankly terrifying.

Not that he'd ever told her that.

So far the most interesting thing of the market was that they sold Candyfruit slices spiked with iceshine, liquor that originated from Luna distilleries. It was so potent it was known to knock a cat over with one good, hearty whiff. Its high alcohol content kept it from freezing and it was illegal in Thundera, but he didn't know the laws of Rana Village. While unusual, Tygra didn't like the hard stuff – particularly not the crap made by the Luna – and the smell from a stall away was enough to make his eyes water. He meant to pass it up but stood off to the side instead; watching people interact was a good way to spend one's time too.

One of the men noticed him after a minute or two and paused in his cutting of the fruit. "Tiger, the smell doesn't do the wares justice. It burns the nose, not the tongue, when it goes down with fruit. Are you new here?"

It was a wolf that spoke and Tygra wished it had been anything else save a lizard. The old spat between cats and dogs was as strong as ever, and he disliked the odor of dog fur. There wasn't enough difference between the dogs and wolves for him.

"Just passing through. Traveling is good for the soul." Tygra noticed that there was another wolf, dipping the slices into a pot of steaming alcohol to set. This one was missing an eye and ignored him.

"That it is. Not so good for the body in times like these though. Bandits roam everywhere."

"Ain't it the truth. Got anything less…potent?" The wolf smirked and offered him a piece of Candyfruit that only smelled slightly of punch. He tried it and found it pleasant, putting down a piece of silver. "I'll take a couple of this kind. I value my liver." The bark of laughter was a little loud.

"Thank you. This is good stuff from the north, made by the snow leopards. It's just not appreciated, even after all my brother went through to bring the shipment down." The wolf wrapped up the pieces and added in afterthought, "I kid you not, it's getting more and more dangerous all the time. 'Specially around the mountains." Tygra perked up.

"Yep. All after that crazy drug I guess. I… hear it's getting worse around Tropo and north toward Lune."

He was aware of two kittens burrowing through one of the nearby barrels of Candyfruit, probably wanting to buy a few before they were treated. They seemed to pause and whisper to each other. He kept an eye on the wolf who nodded, handing him the wrapped fruit slices.

"Mm-hm. My brother traveled through Tropo on a trading venture and he was attacked twice. He and his caravan didn't dare stop at night and arrived exhausted. He's been strange ever since." The wolf sniffed a few fruits and deemed them acceptable, placing them on clean trays. "Ay, it's hard for a man to make a living anymore…"

He gestured toward the one-eyed wolf. The fellow kept dipping the slices, ears pockmarked and his nose dry. Tygra studied him for a minute, and the wet eye blinked, slow as paper over mud. "'Strange?'"

"He gets angry, sometimes violent. And he won't talk. It was all I could do to persuade him to tell me about the attacks by writing." The wolf's muzzle tightened and relaxed in rapid fits and Tygra stared harder. His breath was so tight it was like a faint whistle. The shop keeper smoothed back his brother's fur. "I've taken him to doctors and they say he has no disease. But nothing they do can help. He gets stranger all the time. I can't leave him at home alone…"

Tygra shook his head, eyes never leaving the stiff hound. The weird way he stared, the odor of tense sweat…

Casually, Tygra looked back to the speaker. "Did he say anything about seeing Mutation personally? It's one of the black market goods in Tropo last I heard."

The wolf paused. "I've heard about it, but my brother wouldn't take any of it." He seemed insulted, eyes narrowing.

"I didn't mean to insinuate he would. Just a bad thing making everyone nervous is all. Thought the bandits might have used some." He noticed uncomfortably that the other wolf had stopped dipping the slices of Candyfruit, staring at his hands.

"He didn't say. I'm not really sure if he can talk at all by now." Tygra heard more depression in the voice. The other wolf said nothing and a thread of spit connected his teeth in a daze.

He didn't know what else he could say if his hunch was right and this wolf had been injected with the same Mutation the other one had. Chances were high that they'd put the drug in more than one of each kind of species if it were some kind of test run. He wouldn't be able to get a chip out unless the wolf were free of the substance, for the smell of blood might very well send him over the edge. They were lucky he hadn't lost it yet. Tygra thought of the syringe of antimutagen Lion-O had used and debated the worth of trying to help this wolf.

Deciding that having another slobbering dog running around Thundera would have been more trouble than it was worth, he bade the shopkeeper farewell and wondered if Lion-O had any more of the antimutagen on him.

Tygra couldn't say he particularly cared about a strange wolf, but he was a fan of order and laws and people not turning into violent nutcases, so cutting down on that sort of thing was worth some extra effort. It did annoy him that he had been the one to discover this; he would have liked to discover a weapons shop or perhaps some kind of blueprint trader. His little "venture" had been cut short and he found it disappointing. Half the reason he liked wandering was seeing shops and watching the people.

He worked his way through the crowd, reasoning that perhaps the wolf would be able to tell them about the path to Lune. That was worth some annoyance. Besides, it wasn't as if he thought dogs and other nonfels were worthless. They just…weren't so civilized. Most of them seemed like rubes.

"Excuse me."

Tygra stopped and turned around, almost walking into the speaker. He jumped back and caught sight of a short crop of dark brown hair.

It was a little boy kitten, maybe ten or eleven. He was striped brown and white and tan, and unlike the bigger cats he had small, pointed ears set at an angle on his head, higher than Tygra's. He was a wildcat; they tended to live in smaller villages, growing crops and working farms, and occasionally hunting small animals. Their families were generally large – the mothers had litters, two kittens at a time on average – and Tygra noticed a little girl kitten behind the boy. A sister, perhaps. The same angled stripes on the boy were present on her face, but her hair was longer and in a partial braid with wavy locks loose under it, more reddish than brown. Their ears and clever little faces made them look impish, and their eyes were round and green. Both wore what looked like tunics made of brown sackcloth, sewn poorly.

They were cute, and Tygra felt his ire lessen. "You need something?"

"You were talking about Tropo. What do you know about it?" The little girl said this, poking her head around her brother's shoulder. Their tails were long and thin, whipping with interest.

"Ah. Well. It's a warm city, and there are a lot of lizards and jackals…" he began.

"No, the crime. And what's happening to travelers. And what about that Mutation stuff?" The boy spoke now, as if the two were of one mind. Neither of them blinked and Tygra frowned.

"That's not exactly proper stuff to tell kids."

The boy's mouth puckered. "It's important. We need to know."

"Yeah. It's really important." The girl blinked, not quite batting her stubby lashes and Tygra realized they were trying to work him over. Their cute little faces were composed, quiet, and he crossed his arms as if to protect his heart from their…cute-powers.

"Why don't you ask your parents?"

Their pouty faces disappeared as if stricken and Tygra was alarmed to see the girl's brows wobble. "We can't. They're…they're not around." The boy's tail lashed and his cheeks reddened as if he were angry.

Gauging the honesty of this by the way the girl kept his eyes, Tygra felt a little guilty. "Oh. Uh, sorry." He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Look, Tropo's dangerous. Traders get attacked sometimes and Mutation is going around a lot. It's bad stuff, and that's about all I know about Tropo. Maybe that wolf will know more."

"Why would anyone attack the traders?" The boy stepped aside without looking, moving for a lizard traipsing across the road. "More traders mean the city gets richer because of more goods and gold, right?"

"Beats me." Reflecting on this question and the surprising wisdom of it, Tygra added, "Maybe they don't all want to trade in some goods and the ones who do are mad at them." It was the only theory he had at the moment, although his mind was working furiously.

The girl cocked her head, braided locks bobbing. "So the Mutation pushers are trying to get rid of those who hate the stuff to make sure no one reports them? Is that it? Or is there more?"

Stunned at how she'd seen through his blather, Tygra turned around. "I don't know. I have to go, okay? Quite poking into things that don't concern you, kids. Someone won't react well someday." He started walking, shaken by the clear, deep eyes.

"But it does concern us. Are you going to Tropo? Why else would you ask about it?" The boy scurried at his heels and Tygra sped up until he had to start threading his way through the crowd. The kittens wound between waists and hips, and he saw the boy stoop and duck between a tall person's legs to keep following. The girl was a little daintier, pardoning herself as she ducked in front of people.

"That's not your business. Quit following me. Surely you have someone looking after you, don't you?"

"We're trying to change that." The girl brazenly hopped up to his side and held his hand like a daughter might and Tygra's tail twitched. "Can we go with you? We need to go to Tropo."

Tygra stopped in the middle of the crowd, jaw dropping. "Say what?"

The boy had caught up and didn't hold his hand, but he stood within three inches of his side. "We'll tell you why if you promise not to tell anyone." He glanced around and Tygra scratched his head, confused. "See, our parents-"

"Sh!" The girl tugged the boy's sleeve and both of them stared in the same direction, noses twitching. They reminded him of small animals that had scented a hunter. Then they whirled around and released him, slipping away into the crowd.

Tygra stared after them. "O-kay…"

Someone brushed past him and cursed. "I thought I heard them! Those little maggots…"

Tygra's brows raised at the cat's cursing. She was several years older than himself and might have been pretty if not for her venomous glare. She was white with brown spots on her face and arms, and her fur made her look thicker. "You wouldn't happen to have seen two kittens would you?" she asked, rounding on him suddenly. "A boy and girl, probably running around like little heathens?"

Tygra examined the tight way her claws were bared. Then he raised his eyes to meet her gaze.

"Nope. Sorry."

She cursed again and whirled around once more, stalking into the crowd. Tygra wondered at her fury and tried to remember where the others had wanted to meet.

* * *

"It's going to sting a little. Just hold him tight."

Dyre held his brother's arms behind his back uneasily, listening to the rasp of frothy breath. Panthro had the sick wolf's ankles and Tygra and Cheetara stood on either side of the seated figure, ready to jump. Lion-O brushed the thick fur aside, looking for a good place on the wolf's arm.

He pushed the needle in and the plunger pressed down. The wolf yipped and Dyre snarled at Lion-O mistrustfully. Lion-O withdrew the empty syringe and capped it, slipping it into the same pouch as before.

A few seconds passed and the sick wolf raised his head, blinking rapidly over his one eye. The cloud that had covered it was clearing. "Dyre…? Where…?"

"Brother." The word was hard, hot, and the cats stepped away so the wolves could embrace. "Little Timbyr. I've not heard your voice in a month."

Lion-O waited while Timbyr gathered himself and then said, gently, "He'll need food and water. Slowly."

Dyre seemed unable to tear himself away from the other wolf – smaller, Lion-O noticed, definitely Dyre's younger brother by several years – and Cheetara drifted to one of the barrels of untreated Candyfruits. They were hidden in the back of the tent, shop closed down, and she took a whole fruit and sliced it into pieces with her claws, gouging the pit out. She brought these to Timbyr, who accepted them eagerly.

"You've eaten so little for days," Dyre marveled. "If you were hungry you should have eaten!"

"Couldn't. Hazy. I wanted to rip everything apart, and then I didn't. Like two of me in my head." Timbyr was scarfing down the pieces in a mess, picking his teeth for every scrap of pulp he could get. Tygra made a slight face but Lion-O simply looked at Dyre.

"With Mutation, heart rate increases, appetite decreases like when the body is wired for a fight. Normally this state would only last a while, and men are hungry after it because of the energy expended. The Mutation made it keep going and going, and there was no point where his appetite could really return. The fully transformed tend to eat, but it's usually prey. He had a very bad reaction…his body couldn't process it." Dyre listened to this with narrow eyes.

"It seems you know much of this foul thing. Who harmed my brother this way? I would like very much to meet them."

His teeth were a little too visible as he said this. Timbyr paused in his devouring for a second, panting for breath. "I didn't see him. I don't think I got a full dose either…the needle didn't go all the way in. I ran before they got ahold of me."

"So that's why there's no chip on you," Tygra observed. "The other guy was transforming off and on and had been chipped. Guess he got the full dose."

Timbyr shuddered. "I kept my mind enough to find my way home. It was like poison."

"Well, you don't have to worry anymore. This dose will fight the Mutation and it'll work its way out of your system." Lion-O brought him another piece of fruit and Timbyr had the self-control to take big, slow bites of it and chew properly. "Do you remember anything about the person that stuck you? We're heading up north after Tropo and any information about what's going on might help."

"Mm-hm. Some kind of dog I think, or maybe a jackal." He ate for a while, eyelid flopping over the gap in his skull as he attacked the food. Lion-O had to keep nudging him to make him pause and swallow. "He sent his boys after me when I ran off. That's where I lost my eye."

Panthro mulled this over and Lion-O frowned. "A jackal maybe? Do you remember his color?"

"A kind of orange-red. He didn't chase me himself. He had a high voice. Used knives, and a club. I remember because he broke my tail with it." He shook his tail with distaste. "Still aches."

"I'm afraid I think I know of this one. He's been a member of the Alliance almost as long as Slithe." Panthro snorted. "He's harmless on his own but not with Slithe running the show. Wasn't worth the air he sucked until the Alliance started looking into Mutation. All of a sudden he's a clever little general. He doesn't give his name. They just call him Red."

"He obviously has something to do with Mutation," Cheetara said absently. She picked up her bedroll and she rested her chin atop it. "If he's in charge there and we find him when we pass through Tropo, maybe we could deal a blow to the supply chain. Figure out what cities they're getting it from. Might make it safer on the roads to Lune."

Panthro's eyebrows shot up. "That's…a good idea."

Timbyr looked between the two. "If you can stop these thugs, all of Thundera will owe you a debt. I already do."

"As do I," Dyre said, ruffling his brother's hair. "You've given me my brother back. If there's any favor I can do you, please let me know."

Lion-O smiled. "We were glad to help. It would be a great help if you keep your ears to the ground for news about Mutation. Just stay informed and…please don't tell anyone about what we did."

Dyre nodded and Timbyr looked at him. "I don't suppose I could get some bread and meat, could I?" When the larger wolf laughed the younger inclined his head in a weary bow. "We'll do as you ask. Thank you for your kindness and aid."

Lion-O pulled his hood up but Tygra cleared his throat. "I have a question actually."

Timbyr blinked his one eye. "Of course. You brought my deliverance, friend tiger."

Lion-O saw Tygra shift in discomfort. "I saw a couple of kittens outside and they were running from a woman. They were striped wildcats and they looked like twins. Would you happen to know anything about them?"

Dyre grunted as he went into the next room, a tent flap forming a sort of door. "Children running around? Most of them are from the local orphanage. Plenty of them run away every other week. Most of them come back."

Tygra stared at the curtain and Lion-O knelt to be at Timbyr's eye level. The wolf was slowly recovering his breath and his face fell at this, throat whining. "It's a sad state of affairs. There's one orphanage in the area meant for the children of merchants who die. They can remain in the area and take up their parents' trade when they get old enough. Or at least, that's what the caretaker says." His lip curled. "What really happens is sometimes travelers with too many mouths to feed drop off bundles of kittens and pups and hatchlings. The place is overcrowded and the caretaker cares very little; she's given an allowance by the merchants because the shop owners believe they're helping the children and the future market. I don't see it, perhaps I'm wrong. But nobody is welcome there, ever. It's been that way for three years, and it's considered private property. Trespassers can be attacked with impunity. It's not as if we have police to report to."

"It wasn't always that way. It used to be a good, clean place. Then the old owners died," Dyre called.

Tygra's face darkened. Lion-O waited for Timbyr to get a loaf of bread with a few slabs of nearly raw meat in his hands before asking, "There are so many orphans in a little place like Rana Village?"

"You've no idea. There's an orphan for every five merchants. Many have their suspicions that the children are beaten. And they live in squalor."

Cheetara straightened at this and Lion-O's eyes narrowed. "And no one does anything?"

"Who else can take them all in? They're not quite starving there and at least they have beds." Timbyr looked miserable and ravenous, tearing out great hunks of bread and meat. "Nobody likes it but there are no laws for such situations in Rana Village. It's a neutral territory within Thundera. The orphanage is the only option most of them have when their relatives live far away."

Tygra crossed his arms. "So that's why they were running from that woman. They said they wanted to go to Tropo?"

Dyre shrugged. "Perhaps their parents dumped them there and told them they'd come back from Tropo. It's sad to see children watch for their parents to come back when you know they aren't."

"Don't they ever return?" Cheetara asked. Her voice was soft and Lion-O thought of her adoptive parents, and the love they had for her. It had been heavy in the air of the tavern, golden and rich, and it had made being near them a pleasure. To think of being abandoned to a cold, miserable place like this must be sobering. It could have happened to her.

"Not a one ever has. There are a few adoptions, but nowhere near enough to keep space in the place, maybe two a year. The kids are probably looking for a way to get out so they can look for their parents. That's usually why kids run off. They'll end up back at the orphanage if they get hungry enough." Timbyr licked his chops. "I'm sorry the news wasn't better."

"Just wanted to know. Thanks for the info." Tygra sighed. "I guess there's nothing we can do? Those kids seemed scared."

Lion-O looked to Panthro who took on the demeanor of a brick wall. "If it's within the laws of these people then there's nothing we can do short of trying to change the law. That would take months. We have other things to worry about. Perhaps on the way back we could try to get someone to protest the ownership of the orphanage, assuming these allegations are true."

Tygra muttered something and Lion-O slowly bowed in the Imperial fashion at the wolves. "Thank you for telling us about it."

"Not at all. We could try to protest the owner…the orphanage would still exist and the children would have somewhere to go. Of course, if we find anything about the place to dethrone this caretaker, we'll act on it at once." Dyre went to hold back the tent flap for them. "I owe you a favor yet, cats. If ever you need my help, call on me."

Once they were outside Panthro said, "All right, time to go. We've spent enough time here, and we're not sleeping in this city. We'll get a little more distance under us and then we'll make camp."

He started for the entrance to the village and Tygra made a displeased sound. "Gee, loves kids doesn't he?"

Lion-O gazed off in the direction of the darker tents and huts. "He's right though. Not much good to help them now if the world's in trouble." He lowered his eyelids, ashamed at this helplessness. "We'll see what we can do when the mission is over, Tygra. If they live here the kids are tough. It's hard to live in a place like this, but it's possible. Panthro would know."

Cheetara's left ear perked. "Why? Did he grow up in an orphanage?"

"No. Worse." Lion-O did not elaborate and followed Panthro, Cheetara and Tygra trailing after him after a few seconds.

Lion-O became aware of the atmosphere of the village changing around them. Instead of food he smelled perfume, and the odor of burning incense made him feel heady and sleepy. Confused, he turned his head and spotted a woman in one of the tent doorways and blinked, not quite realizing that she wasn't wearing a dress for a few seconds. It was just so strange that he didn't believe his eyes for a moment.

Panthro hadn't been kidding about brothels opening at night. He immediately looked away, eyes fixing straight ahead. "If I'm not mistaken, Rana Village is one of a few towns where there's a curfew for children. It's because businesses like these open up everywhere at night. With all the traveling traders, the women have no shortage of clientele. Nor do their business owners that run the places." He seemed sardonic, and a poisonous dislike built in his eyes before he forged ahead, ignoring everyone around him. Knowing where the venom came from, Lion-O nearly reached for his shoulder and decided not to after a long, indecisive moment.

Cheetara, being a woman, was looking around the few lit tents without qualm. "It's like Red Alley in Dera's Run," she observed. Tygra shook his head.

"Nah, Red Alley is cleaner. What?" She had rolled her eyes. "Oh, good grief…Dad used to have meetings with the merchants down there. Business."

"What kind of business would be my next question. I wouldn't insult traders by comparing them to these." Lion-O heard something bitter in her voice and slowed enough to walk beside her. Her eyes were hard and her tail lashed when they passed another tent opening up. A woman inside looked tired and was waving something in. Her clothes were also off and Lion-O felt uncomfortable when she winked at him, crooking a finger. Tygra just waved and shook his head. Lion-O presumed this was a polite refusal for she didn't seem offended. That Tygra knew it surprised him, and made him wonder.

Noticing him, Cheetara averted her eyes and her venom eased. "I know it's hard to make a living in some places. But I can't believe that this…this is what some people feel like they can do as a job. It's just so sad."

Lion-O walked with her in silence for a while, smelling candles and hearing the clink of coins and metallic laughter. A required, ladylike chuckle and a downed drink. "Perhaps it's all they know."

"Maybe. I knew a woman you see…she was like this. She used to come by the bar to talk with mother. They'd been friends as kittens. Her husband left her when they were young and she had to eat, and she didn't want to rely on charity. No one would hire a woman without education." Cheetara paused. "I was little and she used to give me hair ribbons or pictures when she came by. Cheap things, but they were pretty. She said she had wanted a daughter before her husband left. She always smiled on the outside, but something about her just seemed sad to me."

Lion-O felt her shoulders tighten. The air was taut around her. "What happened to her?"

"She died. Five years ago. Some disease she'd caught from one of a hundred strangers. She didn't have the money to buy a gravestone before she passed, and they tossed her body in a pauper's grave." Cheetara's eyes flared as she looked up. "It's not that I think they're horrible people or that I look down on them for doing this. I just…want better for them."

Lion-O looked at her for a long while. Then he said, "I think you'd make a very good priestess or prophetess. They're called to care for everyone, and that comes naturally to you."

Cheetara blinked. He felt a little warm and pointed forward toward the end of the tents and huts. "There's the exit. Come on, let's get out of this place."

She followed, noticing that Panthro did not look at her. Did he disagree with her? Think she was naïve? Whatever; Cheetara put her bedroll in the trunk with the others when they reached the Thundertank. She was beginning to care less and less what he thought. "I'm glad Timbyr's okay at any rate."

"Yeah. I guess we have one more person on our lists to keep an eye out for." Tygra held up a finger, then another, counting off. "Slithe and ginger-jackal guy."

Lion-O got into the Thundertank and examined the sky. "We can make it five leagues before breaking camp. That'll leave us time to make something for dinner before we settle in for the night." Cheetara sat beside him, glad the distance would be short and nursing her arms. The bedroll hadn't been very heavy but she'd carried it in her arms upwards of two hours. Even a light weight got tiresome after a while. Tygra sat in the passenger seat, looking fidgety.

"No you can't drive." Panthro read the tiger's movements and he scowled. "Everyone in?"

"Yeah. Wait," Lion-O said suddenly. He'd turned in his seat and was looking toward the back of the vehicle. "Cheetara, didn't you close the trunk?"

The lid was open and Cheetara's forehead wrinkled in thought. "I was sure I did. Maybe it didn't lock right?"

Panthro muttered something about weak arms and she bared her teeth in silence. Lion-O reached over the back and pressed the lid down with a satisfying thud. It didn't come back up. "Sounds okay. Probably just bounced the first time." He sat down again. "What's going to be next on the map?"

"Forests after the plains. There's a river that feeds toward the Fel Sea and Tropo, so we head straight through the forest until we hit it, and then we continue southeast along it until the city. Then we head north through the lands between the mountains. Providing we don't hit any mud holes and get sucked down, anyway." Panthro started the Tank and it purred, eager to go.

"A forest…wow, that'll be neat. I've never actually seen one." Cheetara could see nothing in the distance that resembled a tree but imagined many of them clustered together like plants in her mother's tossed salad.

"The river feeds it water and keeps the ground rich for the trees and plants. It'll be nicer than this dump," Tygra said. "Wet grass beneath your feet…nothing like it."

And then the tank zoomed forward and Cheetara held on to the door grimly. Lion-O tried not to laugh; she looked as if she felt she was in a deathtrap. He patted her arm. "It's really safe, honestly. If we get attacked the defensive systems come on automatically."

She looked at him out of the corner of one eye, still clinging to the metal. "It's not that. It's Panthro. Can we say aggressive driver?"

At that he had to laugh. Panthro didn't hear; he was too busy pushing on the pedal and speeding across the plains toward the road. Five leagues was not very far and Rana Village was still within sight on the flat horizon when Panthro stopped and ordered them out. Cheetara again got tasked with starting the fire. This time she did it in a minute thanks to the dry grass, much to Lion-O and Tygra's delight.

"Not bad, little lady. We'll make a camper out of you yet," Tygra said. He saw to heating some dinner and Lion-O cleared the area of brush, debris, and logs. Panthro scouted the area, watching the horizon and sky. Cheetara gathered enough sticks and dry grass to last the night –some of which from the woodpile Lion-O had cleared out of the area – and dropped it at Panthro's feet before sitting down by the fire. The panther grunted but did not comment and Cheetara let the heat relax her arms. It felt good and soaked into her fur like a hot bath.

"I'll get the bedrolls," Lion-O said, just as Tygra finished dishing out what looked like dumplings filled with meat and spices. "What are those?"

"Meat pie dumplings. The recipe comes from one the Imperials use to make meat pies, but the guards I learned it from developed a way to make it go around a camp. Just wrap some dough around meat and boil it with the right herbs for a little while." Tygra doled out generous helpings to everyone into small bowls – Panthro had picked up a few more in Rana Village along with the rest of the supplies they'd needed – and Lion-O sniffed the air. Even Panthro appeared interested in the odor.

"That smells so good," Lion-O said.

Tygra batted his eyes. "You're going to make me blush."

Lion-O opened the trunk and his grin faded. "Guys?"

"Yeah?"

"There are kids in here."

This statement was so strange that nobody moved for a second. Then, one of the kittens – the one crammed under a blanket and on top of her brother – said calmly, "Could you help us out? We're stuck."

Lion-O immediately hoisted the girl out and then the boy, shifting things aside so he could pull them out. "Man, I'm glad you guys stopped so soon. My butt fell asleep. Oh, dumplings!" The boy scurried to the pot and his tail whisked happily back and forth. "I'm starved. Do you have any extra, huh?"

"You two! What are you doing here?" Lion-O assumed from Tygra's recognition that these were the same kittens he'd met in Rana Village. The girl smiled up at him, one cheek dimpling a little more than the other, and he watched her slip in beside her brother, cocking her head. They were both quite cute and Lion-O felt the beginnings of irritation in him ebb.

"We're going to Tropo with you guys. Sorry we stowed away, but we didn't have time to ask before." The girl jumped up. "Oh, manners! I'm Wilykit, and this is my brother Wilykat."

"I don't care what your names are." Panthro's expression was deadpan, as if kittens popped out of the back of his tank every day. "What I want to know is what is wrong with you two, stowing away with strangers."

"We're not strangers. We talked to him." Wilykat pointed at Tygra, who held up his hands.

"Don't rope me into this, I talked to you once!"

The girl – Wilykit – edged toward Cheetara, sitting right by her. "You're pretty. Are you a leopard?"

"Cheetah," Cheetara said bemusedly, fingering the girl's thick, striped hair, smoothing the messiest part. Some of it had been gathered from the front and pulled to the back of her head as a sort of partial ponytail, leaving the rest a wavy whirl down to her shoulders. The ponytail was braided, and she had thick, brownish-red bangs. It looked as if it hadn't been brushed in days.

Lion-O brought the bedrolls and sat them on the ground. "Okay, let's start over. You guys are from the orphanage in Rana Village?"

Both little faces fell. The boy spoke first. "Yeah. We've been there a whole year, and we've needed to go to Tropo all this time. That's why we snuck into your tank thing. We heard him-" here he pointed at Tygra "-talking about it to Dyre and Timbyr. So we tried to ask him if we could come. Then we had to run 'cuz the orphanage lady Miss Hiss was about to find us, and then we'd get no dinner and she'd lock us in a room for days."

Lion-O straightened. "Lock you up?"

"Uh huh. Miss Hiss doesn't hit anyone, but she talks so mean and awful that she's scarier than if she did. Once she locked us in a room in the dark for a whole day and night."

Lion-O winced. Kit jumped in at this point. "So we ran away from her and doubled back to find Tygra, only to see the rest of you guys come and help Timbyr. So we figured you must be nice people. You even asked about helping the kids at the orphanage and trying to stop Miss Hiss on your way back through! But when you guys left we had to be sneaky to follow you because it was the opening hour for the brothels and we could've gotten taken back to the orphanage by anyone for breaking curfew. You guys were ready to go and we wanted to get the heck out of that place, so we opened the trunk and climbed in. We couldn't close it from the inside, and then one of you shut it. And that's how we're here." She looked into the pot and sniffed, meowing. "Can we have some, puh-leeeeze? Miss Hiss only lets us have one dumpling each when she makes them and they're sooo yucky!"

Lion-O sighed, plucked one of his dumplings out of his bowl and held it between his teeth. Then he filled his bowl up to the brim again with broth and dumplings – Tygra helped him with the ladle – and gave it to them. Both kittens squealed and chorused, "Thank you!" They began to eat as if starved, and Lion-O nibbled the dumpling he'd taken out. Cheetara shifted so she was sitting beside him so he could share her bowl.

"Sounds like the orphanage is as bad as we've heard," Tygra said at last. "Panthro?"

Panthro eyed the kittens. "If they're not being physically harmed I don't know if there's anything we can do in this kind of situation. Legally. Assuming we can believe these kids, anyway."

"Hey!" Wilykat swallowed one mouthful before continuing, "Our Dad always told us to never, ever lie! Lying is bad! You should tell the truth, even when it's hard."

"Yeah," Wilykit added. She was a little more refined in shoveling dumplings into her mouth. "If something is secret, you don't say it. But you don't fib to people. We wouldn't lie about how mean Miss Hiss is. Ask anyone at the orphanage, they'll tell you the same."

Lion-O glanced at Cheetara. She was nodding. "We believe you guys." They didn't break eye contact and their relief at her words made it plain they were telling the truth.

"Why is it so important you get to Tropo?" Tygra asked. The kids exchanged knowing looks and put down the empty bowl.

"Because we might not be orphans. Our parents might be alive."

The fire cracked and even Panthro looked curious in the silence. "See, our parents are traders. They travel and sell cloth and jewelry and pretty stuff. And sometimes Dad and Kat would play the lyre and Mom would dance to the music. I'd dance too, and we just traveled around for a long time, ever since we were babies. A whole group of wildcats traveled with us, and they were all really nice and fun." Wilykit's eyes grew dreamy with the memory.

"Then bad stuff started happening in cities. People were talking about a drug called Mutation, and we saw them transform and start fighting and smashing stalls. Mom and Dad got worried, and sometimes they left us with relatives that lived in Rana Village instead of bringing us to the worst places. Mutation is, like, super-duper illegal here," Kat explained. "It's pretty much the only thing that is."

"We didn't like them leaving us but we knew they just wanted us to be safe. Last time they left us they said they were going to Tropo for a trader's convention they went to every year, but that they'd be back in a couple months tops." Kit's eyes fell and her ears lowered. "That was a year ago."

Lion-O was listening intently, chin on his fist. "So how did you end up at the orphanage?"

"Well, for a while we stayed with our aunt and uncle and their three kids who lived in Rana Village. They were nice and took care of us, and we got along with our cousins. Even though part of the town is yucky, most of the people are still really nice, and we didn't want to go anywhere else in case our parents came back here. All traders pass through Rana Village at some point, no matter how important they are, even if it's just once in their life. But…something happened."

Both kittens were quiet now and Kit curled her arms around her knees. "Sometimes bandits come through town and steal stuff. They're usually killed before they can do much damage, but…our aunt and uncle were in the market trading when the bandits came through."

Cheetara reached over and stroked both kittens' heads. Kit shyly snuggled in and Kat just looked at the fire. Lion-O, Panthro and Tygra were silent; no one needed to ask what had happened.

"We didn't have anyone else and neither did our cousins. So we were put in the orphanage, to wait until we're sixteen. Then we can have our own trade group and leave forever." Kat made a little fist, thumping it against the ground.

"But that's five whole years away," Kit said plaintively.

"Five-and-a-half, actually."

"And that's forever. Our cousins were all adopted because they were little, but nobody's wanted to adopt us. They think we're too old."

"What makes you think your parents are still alive?" Tygra asked after a moment. "Wouldn't they have come back to find you after all this time if they could?"

"That's just it," Kat said suddenly. Kit nodded. "They would if they could. What if they can't? See, you were talking today about the traders in Tropo being pressured and attacked. But what if they're not killed? If a bunch of dead bodies showed up, wouldn't the authorities be all over Tropo?"

"Like bugs on rotten Candyfruit," Kit observed, sneaking another dumpling. "And there's been rumors about people being turned into monsters with Mutation, like what was happening to Timbyr. What if our parents are alive out there but they're stuck because of Mutation? Or they've been captured? They could be alive because we never got a letter confirming their deaths, and we sent bunches and bunches asking."

All of this seemed to be a bit of a stretch but Lion-O had to admit it was possible. More than anything though, he could sense it had been said so many times – from brother to sister and sister to brother on dirty, ragged cots in a cold, dark room while empty stomachs growled and eyes stung with a salty crust – that they'd obviously ingrained it in their minds as the truth. And he couldn't blame them. It was better than thinking their parents had been robbed and killed. It was what they had to hope for. Perhaps all the children at the orphanage felt this way.

Cheetara frowned. "But why go to Tropo then? They might be anywhere."

"It's the last place they were. Besides, we've been listening to traveler's rumors, and our parents weren't the only merchants to go missing a year ago. Apparently lots of people that went to the meeting haven't been in their markets for months. I think the meeting was a market convention. Tropo has a big one every year. It's coming up really soon." Kat leaned into her hand, letting her scratch between his ears with a blissful look. "So if we can go there, especially before the next trader's meeting, maybe we can catch the people that took our parents. Or at least find out what happened and what they did with them."

This plan was fairly elaborate for two kittens. Lion-O's ears lowered when Panthro said, bluntly, "You can't come."

Both kittens stared at him, as if he'd poured ice water on them. "W-Why not?" Kit asked.

"Because it's dangerous and I'm not going to have us slowed down any more than we already are." He didn't look at Tygra or Cheetara but both of them bristled. "This isn't a mission for kids.

"But…but how are we going to get to Tropo then?" Kat said.

"Not our problem. We'll turn around in the morning to take you back to Rana Village; at least you're fed there. Find some other family to take you in or something. Complain to the merchants. Where we're going is a lot more dangerous than 'Miss Hiss' in a bad mood." Panthro put more wood on the fire and the kittens stared at him in disbelief. "You can travel to Tropo when you get older."

"But that'll be too late! We might be too late now!" Kit wailed. She got up as he did, running to his side. "Please, we've gotta go! We won't make trouble or anything! Don't take us back to Rana Village! You're our only hope!"

Panthro looked down at the tears and furry, sweet face and said without flinching, "It's safer there. I'm not bringing you along. I draw the line at kids. I already gotta put up with her." He gestured to Cheetara, who got up with a face like lightning.

"Excuse me? What is your problem with me? Is it that I'm a woman and you think I can't do anything?" she snapped.

"You being a girl has nothing to do with it. You just ain't cut out for this. The tiger's barely a rookie; you've never even been ten leagues outside Dera's Run until now. Not to mention your attitude is working my last nerve." Panthro firmly nudged Kit away, ignoring the fact that she was starting to sob.

"Wait a minute Panthro." Lion-O saw fury in Cheetara's eyes and sensed a fight coming. "She's already learning, and I'm pretty new at all this too. I'm sure you didn't know everything when you first started journeys like this."

"I also didn't pester people into bringing me along when they'd be better off without me," Panthro retorted.

Tygra stood up now, leaving Lion-O the only one on the ground. "Hey, Lion-O asked us to come because of that Sword of Omens thing. We didn't want anything to do with this. And what kind of tail-sucker knowingly leaves kids in an abusive home?" The term "tail-sucker" struck the battle lines and Lion-O felt the ire crackling in the air. Their little group was experiencing friction.

"Well, the Sword's on the fritz, ain't it? How do we know it wanted you lot along anyway? You two are more likely to get killed than anyone, being untrained. Now you want to bring kids along? I don't think so! I got enough to worry about! It's not like I want them to be miserable, but if I've gotta be the bad guy to protect the whole planet, then so be it! There are worse things than a nasty caretaker, believe you me!"

Panthro's voice was getting louder and Lion-O looked helplessly from cat to cat. He gestured for Kit to come to him. She did so, still sobbing – big tears, runny nose and all – and he patted her face dry with a cleaner edge of his cloak. "It's okay."

"No it's not. We've gotta go to Tropo. I want to see Mommy and Daddy again," she said, chest heaving. Kat looked near tears too, but his eyes were so bright they had to be tears of anger more than sorrow. His teeth were gritted, lips jerking in fits. There was rage there, rage at being made to hope and then being dropped back down.

Lion-O listened to the arguing wearily and held his head, staring dully at the Sword of Omens. "I don't suppose you can do anything to make everyone calm down, can you?" he asked.

As if in reply, the stone began to glow, pulsing red. Lion-O lifted it and raised his head. "Everyone be quiet. Something's wrong."

As if they'd been struck dumb kids and adults alike stopped talking. Ears buzzing in the sudden quiet, Lion-O perked them forward, listening intently. "Is someone there?"

All of them could hear it now; the slow trudging of the flat feet of a heavy body. Panthro sniffed the air and bared his teeth. Lion-O stood up and said, "Come out. You're outnumbered."

"Outnumbered, yesss. Overpowered, not so much." The kittens looked up at Lion-O doubtfully and hid behind him. He put his arm in the golden gauntlet and drew his sword. The voice was very familiar and soft, and after a moment its speaker approached the fire and was visible in the flickering light.

"General Slithe. I didn't expect to see you here." Lion-O didn't move and neither did the lizard who, he noticed, was naked and unarmed. "I expected you to head back to Tropo after abandoning your men in Dera's Run."

"Trainees. Quite replaceable." Slithe blinked with one eye at a time in the firelight to keep the other trained on them at all times. It looked like he was winking at them. "And you are heading to Tropo as well…why? To cut me down? Or to destroy the Mutation trade? Which is it?"

Lion-O's expression was serene. "All of the above and more, General. Why don't you make this easy and leave? We'll let you go if you don't attack." With children around it would be too dangerous to engage a seasoned warrior like Slithe, and he kept one ear tuned to them, aware of the bright green eyes watching the exchange.

"Mm. No. I want an answer first. You wish to go to Lune after Tropo because of the damage centered there…do you intend to repair a planet somehow? Why were you sent?" Slithe's eyes narrowed and Lion-O twitched. "You don't know what's wrong at the heart of your world, but I do. I do indeed…the same thing has happened before, and it always ends the same."

Tygra was crouched calmly by the fire, fingers white beside the blaze. "Really? Mind telling us?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me."

Lion-O shook his head. "This is your last chance to leave."

"On the contrary." Slithe opened his dark, dirty claws and Cheetara's hand flew to her staff. A canister was in his palm, needle already plunged deep into the scaly wrist. The scales on his hands and the softer part of his arm were paler, finer, and Cheetara looked at Lion-O, whose expression had twisted into alarm.

"Kids, get in the tank and stay there! Go!" He whipped his tail, nudging them with it while he took out the Sword of Omens. The two obeyed, scrambling for the vehicle. Tygra took out his whip and Panthro took out a strange weapon; two club-like metal ends were chained together, and holding one he began to swing the other. It whirled loud and heavy, and Lion-O alone knew the kind of damage it could do. Panthro called it a set of nunchuks. The Imperial name for his weapon was the Brawler of Feline Fists, a title well earned by the number of bones it had broken.

Slithe smirked. And from his back two great, bony structures exploded like green trees, smaller ones sprouting off like branches. Filmy skin clung to them like the membrane of a bat's wing and Slithe fell to all fours.

Tygra followed these motions with his eyes. "What the Ghen…?"

Slithe was starting to look like something from the underworld, scales thornier and face stretching wider and more serpentine every minute, so that Tygra called on the Thunderan hells was not so shocking.

Lion-O darted in. "Don't let him finish! Stop him!" But the odor of steel filled the air, and something like reptilian body.

He swung the blade and Cheetara charged after him, circling around the creature's back. Slithe lifted an arm and brushed Lion-O back like a bird; the limb had ballooned with muscle and the claws had extended to the length of daggers. His tail shot out, rolling like a tree down a cliff. Cheetara jumped back, transfixed by the lengthening of Slithe's neck and the spines sprouting from his backbone.

Slithe opened the wings, turning his fat, scaly head toward Lion-O. The cat had gotten up and held his side, but the lizard peeled back his lips in a grin, breath a permanent hiss through his uneven, broken teeth.

"…So you got even bigger. Whatever." Tygra shot in alongside Lion-O, snapping the whip in Slithe's face. He snarled at the noise and Lion-O dragged the blade over his front leg.

Instead of cutting through, the blade clattered over thick, stony scales. The thin cracks between each scale glowed bright green and Slithe grunted several times in a slow laugh. Lion-O dodged another swipe and Panthro came in swinging.

Even a much larger Slithe gave pause before someone the size of Panthro. He beat his wings about Panthro's head as the metal fists came swinging in, loud against the hard body. Cheetara sprinted around the back of the beast, staff crackling, and tried to release the charge into Slithe's side.

Slithe snarled again and flapped his wings, sending a swift gust over the ground and lifting him ten feet off the ground. Cheetara fell back, neck aching as she looked straight up and Slithe bore upward. "I can't get close! How much Mutation did he take!?"

"Some just have natural affinity for Mutation," Lion-O said, eyes following the great shape as it whirled around in the air with a slow drag, black as a demon against the moon. "I have an idea. Tygra, you, me and Panthro will keep him distracted by peppering him with little attacks. He'll have to land to strike at us. Stay away from his sides, attack from the front when the opportunity rises. Cheetara, use the time to charge your staff. A lot. Strike his back when you've got it." His voice was clear, and these orders shot out in rapid succession.

The three others nodded. Slithe was bearing down on them, claws slicing at their heads. Tygra snapped the whip at Slithe's tail – a clear challenge and insult – and Slithe roared, folding his wings to drop down. Their attacks weren't long range, but he had no such options either, and damage would have to be done at close quarters. His weight made the ground shiver and Panthro stormed in, plowing away at Slithe's face. The lizard tried to bite him but Panthro grabbed two of the longest fangs in his jaw and used his grip to wrestle with the massive head. Slithe's jaw came out of joint and Panthro twisted it, pushing back just before the beast shoved his face into the ground. He'd been trying to bite down on Panthro's torso, but he'd failed by hairs.

Tygra reappeared – he'd faded out of sight, wrapped in his whip – and grabbing hold of one of Slithe's legs with his whip, pulling with all his strength. It wasn't much to the great weight but it was enough to make Slithe waver, trying to gain his feet. Lion-O was there to prick the bottoms of his flailing feet with his sword, and the softer scales turned red.

Slithe screamed in hatred and righted himself, favoring his forelegs. The snarl was cut off as he corrected his jaw, popping it back into place. Lion-O caught sight of a flash of yellow behind the creature and one side of his mouth crooked in a smile.

And then Cheetara was aloft, staff streaming sparks, and she stabbed downwards into Slithe's back. The force of her swing and her little weight combined to be just enough; the blades drove deeper than the scales to pierce the thick hide.

Slithe froze, body twitching and eyes rolling back. Lion-O smelled something burnt then and he heard Tygra mutter about Ghen once more. Cheetara pulled her staff clear and leaped away, readying herself for more.

The lizard shook his head drunkenly, blinking. The place where the staff had been was burnt black but the electricity obviously hadn't permeated every part of the fat body. Slithe hissed like a kettle and opened his wings.

"Not…over." The voice was deep and guttural but clear enough.

Lion-O jumped forward but was too late; Slithe rose into the air and – wings slow, barely keeping him aloft – flew away, mass hurtling through the air with a roar. Cheetara made to run after him but Lion-O put out an arm.

"He's still too dangerous to take on alone. You'd be too fast for us to keep up with, even in the tank." Cheetara nodded, watching the thing fly away and Lion-O realized he'd grabbed her hand. Releasing her, Lion-O turned around and saw Tygra putting his whip away.

"Okay. What in the name of all things caffeinated and steeped was that?" Tygra opened his arms and gestured fruitlessly after the shrinking lizard. "Mutant dog-wolf thing I understand. Getting big and strong, sure. But he…he was huge. And he grew wings. Wings! And he could talk and reason! How in the heck does that happen?"

Panthro put his weapon away, tucking it against his belt. Cheetara's staff shrank and she slipped it into the holster on her belt as well. The Sword of Omens quieted and Lion-O slipped it into the gauntlet. "That's one thing we're not sure of. He might be genetically gifted for the stuff, or he might have a slightly different substance," Panthro said. "We read reports of a few Alliance figures becoming far more powerful than others…the codename for them was Mutants. Their bodies synthesize the drug and their minds continue functioning at normal levels. We didn't suppose we'd meet any in a place like this."

"Oh, is this one of those things you were going to mention whenever we asked about it?" Tygra said, irritated hands on his hips.

"One of them." Panthro crossed his arms and looked sullen. "You two did okay. For the five minutes we were fighting, anyway. Nice weapon, that staff."

Cheetara raised an eyebrow. Before she could comment, the kittens jumped out of the Thundertank and sprinted up to the group.

"You guys can scare off a big monster like that and you don't think we'll be safe if we go with you?" Wilykat asked with incredulous flatness in his voice. Panthro growled and Wilykit bumped against Cheetara in excitement.

"You were so cool! You were running so fast I couldn't even see you and then you used that electric move…awesome! Will you teach me how to do that?"

"And you with the whip! I didn't know you could do all that with a whip! You were like a ninja or something!" Kat was running around Tygra at this point, pausing every so often to run around Lion-O once and shoot Panthro a dirty look. "You used that sword on Slithe like a knight! Is it really the Sword of Omens? Are you one of the king's knights? Do you know the Fangs of the West? Dad said he's a swordsman who can take down anyone with two swords!"

Lion-O's heart softened when both of them cuddled against his sides. They were just children after all, and they were snuggly warm. They had this act down pat. "Please can't we go with you, please?"

"Don't look directly at them. They'll suck you in," Tygra chimed in. Panthro shook his head and Lion-O gazed thoughtfully down at the two.

"Guys, where we're going there are going to be even more enemies. None of us could ever forgive ourselves if anything happened to kids. Panthro may act like a jerk, but he really does care about what happens to you."

"Hey," Panthro muttered.

The kittens' tails were drooping slowly and even WIlykat's short crop of dark hair seemed to wilt. Lion-O bit his lip and looked at Cheetara for help.

She stepped forward and stroked Wilykit's hair. "Maybe we can at least complain about Miss Hiss to somebody. And…you guys could tell us what your parents look like so we could keep an eye out for them when we reach Tropo."

Panthro's eyes were chunks of granite but the kittens perked up slightly. "You mean it?" It seemed that they would take what they could get.

Cheetara's brown eyes resembled nothing so much as volcanic glass returning Panthro's glare. "Of course. It's the very least we could do."

Wilykit immediately shut her eyes and crinkled her nose, delving deep into memory. "Mommy has hair the same color as mine only with a little more purple in it. It's also curly and not wavy, and it goes past her shoulders. She has six spots on her nose that are kind of like freckles and her mouth moves more toward the right when she smiles than the left. She also snorts when she laughs, and her eyes are the color of biscuits just before they burn when they're crispy-"

Cheetara held up her hands. "Slow down." She looked to Lion-O. "We have to take them back. And…stick around for a little while, maybe. Have a chat with Miss Hiss."

"Does my concern about time hold no meaning to you?" Panthro said.

"Well, considering we already have Slithe in the area, I daresay we'll be finding it difficult to leave without being attacked anyway," Tygra said. "Think he'll attack Rana Village if he sees us going in?"

Lion-O bit his lip. "That's a possibility. But we have to go back to return the kittens before he attacks us again."

"Yes we do. He'll have his guard up next time." Panthro searched the sky above and continued, "We run back to town, drop off the kids, you lot talk to the woman if you've convinced yourselves it'll do any good, and then we hightail it back here before Slithe figures out where we've gone. That way he'll end up following us instead of hanging around the village. We don't want him setting down in a populated area if it can't fight."

Panthro began gathering the bedrolls and the cooking utensils. "Come on, the sooner we pack up the sooner we get back. We don't have time to waste."

"We're going back right now?" Tygra asked, starting to pick up a few items, looking dolefully at the pot. "Sheesh, let me grab the dumplings that are left."

"Everybody pile in," Cheetara said, patting both kittens on the back. Wilykit danced to her side, holding her hand.

"Why didn't you try using antimutagen on Slithe, Lion-O?" Tygra asked, wrapping up the food in a little bag and giving it to Lion-O. He looked at it thoughtfully and tucked it into his belt after tying it. "We have more canisters, I saw them."

Lion-O dipped into the Thundertank before Panthro locked it down – the door slid shut and a steel canopy roved over the top, hard as diamond with just as fierce a gleam - and it started on the path toward Rana Village, pulling up his hood as the bigger cat glanced back to make sure everyone was inside. The threat of being attacked from the sky was a very real one, and Lion-O was almost grateful for being pinned in a dark little box. "Slithe would have had more Mutation on him and would have just pumped more into himself. And I'd rather save it for those who don't want to be turned into monsters." He paused and added in undertone, "It was also in the tank, and I didn't want to lead him toward the kids. I don't always carry it with me; I'm afraid the glass will break if I carry the antimutagen around all the time. Our supply isn't unlimited."

"Oh. I guess those are good reasons." Tygra seemed mildly impressed. "How'd you know to attack him from the front?"

Lion-O was squinting toward the dash, through the pane of glass. It was refined diamond treated with Thundrillium, one of the hardest substances known to Third Earth, but he could still see the muzzy light of Rana Village. "When his body changed his eyes shifted to the sides of his skull. His vision was better in either direction, but he'd have to turn his head to see someone standing directly in front of him. And he was too fat to swipe out very far with his arms to the front. His wings were a bigger concern, and their range of motion was only the sides."

Realizing that Tygra was listening a little too intently, Lion-O glanced back over his shoulder. Tygra was watching him from the opposite seat, Kit next to him, Cheetara in the middle and Kat between her and Lion-O. "So you've been educated in combat strategy?" Tygra asked. "I know some basics from the soldiers I've met, but I didn't know they taught pageboys that kind of thing."

"You'd be surprised what the royals want their servants to learn," Lion-O replied.

He answered no more questions, focusing on the path and the quiet, eerily still plain.

* * *

By the time they arrived dawn was starting to warm the mud and the brothels and ladies of the night had all disappeared. Other than the occasional cat with a hangover, there wasn't much sign that they'd ever been. Panthro ignored everyone except for the cats behind him and anything in the sky that might have been a bird or a faraway Mutant.

It had nearly killed him to admit Cheetara and Tygra had been useful. Bringing them along had been all Lion-O's idea, him and that blade. Panthro didn't put much stock by the words of the priests or the scientists, nor an ancient sword wreathed in mysterious power. He only knew what his orders were, and they came from a very real person. A very real king for a very real kingdom.

The king had never been inclined toward such things either. That he offered such strange orders was…unnerving.

He still didn't have to like being followed by a couple of untrained cats scarcely out of their juvenile fur. Lion-O would have been part of that group if he weren't relatively trained and clever. And now kittens? Panthro didn't like kids. He'd never been around them and nobody had ever shown him how to treat them. He'd been treated like an adult his entire life. And he'd spoken truly; there were worse things than a nasty caretaker. Far worse.

His fingers traced the white tattoo and he finally deigned to look at the kittens. "Okay, so where is this orphanage?"

"It's up ahead." The girl tried to take his hand but he crossed his arms and she shrugged, skipping over the muddiest parts of the street with a practiced jump. "Miss Hiss is gonna be mad, but she'll talk less nasty to you guys because you're grownups."

Cheetara was walking beside him now and he cursed her long-legged speed. She was light and had the lope all cheetahs did, and in spite of his being taller, his greater weight made him sink more so he fell a few paces behind.

"There it is." Kat made a face and his tail curled. Panthro looked over the top of Cheetara's head and slowly uncrossed his arms.

It was a wood-and-dried-mud house, bigger than all the other huts but about as rickety. Instead of doors there were gaping holes and the roof looked like thin slabs of tree bark that had been pulled off and placed on the structure. It smelled of dirty cat-stink, like fur that hadn't been washed and the stomach juices of hairballs. Only children coughed up hairballs, and it was something parents were supposed to teach them not to do.

Apparently these didn't see any reason to tell the children otherwise. Panthro felt a modicum of disgust as he scanned the area and the rickety fence surrounding it. There was barbed wire – no, burrs attached to dry vines – wound around the fence.

"…I know Rana Village is a trash hole, but if this counts as an orphanage maybe we could get complaints raised faster than I thought." Cheetara looked up at him in surprise. Panthro growled. "What?"

Lion-O drifted up to him, examining the shack. The blue eyes roved across the ground. "Guys, can you tell us anything about this place?"

Kit and Kat exchanged glances. "Not really. We run off a lot, but when we're stuck here we're always helping traders that come by get crates and bags of stuff in their wagons. That's all we do all day, morning 'til night."

"They make you load carts?" he asked. "Of what?"

"Stuff. Everyone in this town trades, even Miss Hiss. She gets paid pretty good for it. She bribes people not to mess around here, and some traders she works with are really scary. That's one way she hasn't gotten in trouble yet." Kat wiped his face and straightened his fur. "The carts come every hour or so, and everybody has to know how to calculate weights so we know what to charge if she's not here. It's always the same things, but the bags are tied tight so we can't see inside."

"Does she pay any of you anything at all? Are they like chores?"

"Uh-uh. We don't get any allowance. She says she gives us food and beds and that's enough." Kit grimaced. "Everybody works all day. And she barely gives us any food, so I think she's just a meanie."

"…You guys are basically unpaid labor," Lion-O observed, eyes sharpening.

Panthro was beginning to feel more and more uneasy. It would have been one thing if the children were fed and cared for, even if the area was rough. This…this was slavery at its most insidious. The injustice made his lip curl.

"Okay. I guess we can poke around a little and see if we can dig anything up on the woman. This is worse than I imagined." Cheetara turned around and looked at him, mouth quirking.

"Lion-O was right. You're not as heartless as you act."

His ears laid back and he hissed. "We have a day. We gotta do what we can in that amount of time. We have priorities."

"Fine, whatever." She took the kittens' hands and said, "Where can we find Miss Hiss then?"

Panthro looked back at Lion-O and Tygra. "You two want to look around for anything this woman can be arrested for? Because I get the feeling princess over here won't be able to make her see the error of her ways."

Lion-O nodded. "I'll speak to the children."

Tygra took out his whip. "I prefer to go inside the enemy's territory. Everybody's got skeletons in their closet." He suddenly vanished, silent as a phantom. His whip was a pretty good weapon; when it cracked, along with disturbing the atoms in the air to make a snap, it distorted the very light around him to make him invisible. Very impressive design. He'd have to ask the tiger where he got that.

Lion-O made sure his hood was up and said, "You stay with Cheetara. You two could be a pretty convincing force." Panthro bit back a protest and followed the woman, aware that Lion-O was heading quietly around to the back. If there were kids loading carts it would be back there. A small bag was in his paw and Panthro cocked his head. The bag of dumplings the kittens had gotten?

He sighed. This was impractical, but it was hard to reason against getting food into a hungry child's belly. He followed Cheetara into the door, where the smell of dirty cat intensified. "She stays in her office. Come on, I'll show you," Kit said. The "lobby" was a big dirty room with the barest wood floor and a hall led back from it. There were a few lamps, flickering on oil. Cheetara's face set as a door came into view. The first door in the place was to the office.

Kit knocked softly. "Um…Miss Hiss?"

"Who's there? Is that you, Wilykit? Have you and your brother come crawling back?" Kit shrank back and Cheetara tugged at her so she was standing right beside the taller woman's side, one hand on her hip. The door opened and a white and brown cat was scowling on the other side. Her clothes were dark and somewhat neater than the ragged cloths the kittens wore. "If you think you're going to get away with running off, you…"

Her eyes were at about Cheetara's stomach level, expecting children. They rose to meet her eyes and then jumped to Panthro's. She was a little woman, and yet both kittens looked at her as if she were some great demon. "Can I help you with something?" The voice had been injected with some kind of chemical sweetness.

"Maybe." Cheetara patted each kitten on the head. "Guys, why don't you wait out here? We need to talk to the owner of this establishment."

They obeyed, scrambling away from the door and down the hall. Miss Hiss's eyes followed them like ticks and she said, suddenly more cordial, "Please, come in. Thank you for bringing them. I hope they weren't too much trouble. They're a difficult case…"

Cheetara entered first but Panthro took a moment to examine the room before he stepped through. The room was nicer than the lobby in that the floor was cleaner and there were a few shelves with books and items on them like minerals and crystals. It smelled a little better in here too, but it was still dirty. In this sort of place it would be impossible to keep clean.

"Really. That's funny. They were lovely children to me." Cheetara sat down, taking in sweeping glances of the room. There was a tiny, rickety chair in the corner but Panthro elected to stand; no way would it hold him. "They seemed afraid to come back."

"Really? I can't imagine why." The fake smile positively reeked of dislike. "You're newcomers to Rana Village, I see. I know all of this must seem very strange to you. Allow me to introduce myself; Hissteria is the name, or Miss Hiss as the children call me." She smiled as if she'd like to throttle the parents that had named her such. He couldn't blame her.

"I'm Chera," Cheetara fibbed. "And this is-"

"Pantero," he said flatly. It was probably not necessary to lie, but their real names spreading around gave him an uneasy feeling. "We've been hearing complaints about this establishment, and not from the kids."

The woman's eyes narrowed but her brows made a sharp, sad angle that was almost believable. "People don't understand how difficult it is to raise all these children. Some of the things I do must seem unkind, but there are over fifty children here and so few adoptions…"

"Of course. Actually, I can see how difficult it must be. That's why I came here; I'm looking for a job you see. I'd like to work as your assistant." Cheetara had softened her voice and Panthro bit his tongue, realizing that she had decided to take a sweetheart's approach. She was pretty and had a feminine way that might get the lady talking. But why? They wanted evidence of this place being horrible enough to get the merchants to take it over and change things, didn't they? The woman wouldn't tell them anything useful. Certainly Cheetara wouldn't be hired if anything illegal was going on. Why didn't she confront Hiss instead?

Time. She was buying time for Tygra and Lion-O to look around. Their only chance to get her was by unearthing some dirty laundry. Panthro assumed an interested look as Hiss began talking, wondering if there really was any way to nail this establishment as crooked in such an impossibly short amount of time. If not they'd have to leave…but the feeling of something unwholesome and hollow ate at his back, and Panthro kept one ear tuned toward the door, listening for anything.

* * *

Lion-O found that he was being watched the moment he entered the back yard, seeing several wagons already rolling away from the fence. The cats driving them stared at him, their wares covered with blankets, and he watched them leave without a word.

He could count at least eight children in the area, some standing still against the dark ground and others obviously hiding under pieces of scrap and piles of wood. One bird, three wolves, some kind of reptile, and several breeds of cat. Their eyes all looked the same; wary, mistrusting. They looked like grownup eyes shifting with fear and he felt a little sick.

He stopped near a little girl. She seemed about five, and he could see her easily because her scales were iridescent, and even though she was dirty she gleamed like oil in the dank sunlight. She stared at him, wearing the same sackcloth as all the children. "Hello," he said gently. Her hands tightened – they were fisted in the fabric of a bulky sack of mud probably used for patching holes in the building – and Lion-O took out the bag. He would have preferred giving her water to wash with but he had none and she looked too hungry to care about dirt anyway. Taking out one of the dumplings he offered it to her, chest aching when her eyes riveted on the promise of good food. "It's all right. It's for you. I'm only sorry I don't have many with me."

Her claws whisked out and snatched up the dumpling. She had half-swallowed her second mouthful before managing, "Thank you." Turning slightly, Lion-O saw three of the children coming out, sniffing.

"Come on out. I just want to talk. I have a few more you can all share."

At this they scurried toward him like bugs exposed in the sunlight from under a rock. Lion-O calmly split up the dumplings so all of them had a good-sized bite at least. "You're all orphans here?"

"Mm-hm. Are you gonna adopt us?" The bird looked like some breed of swallow and was smaller than the others, asking this hopefully. Lion-O brushed back his head feathers and sighed.

"I can't, buddy. But we are trying to get someone other than Miss Hiss to be in charge around here. Wilykit and Wilykat told us about how bad this place was."

At this the children grew excited. "Miss Hiss is a witch! She's the meanest lady ever! Can you fire her? Kick her tail!"

Questions like this flowed from every mouth and beak and he held up a hand. "Wait a minute. Tell me about this place. What were you all just doing with those wagons?"

A wolf still working on her dumpling seemed to be the oldest. She wiped her mouth and said, "We were loading it up. There are two types of traders that come through. Some bring stuff and Miss Hiss pays them for it. We unload it for them and take it inside so Miss Hiss can do whatever she does, counts it I think. Then the other traders come later and we load their wagons with the stuff inside. And we keep lookout for strangers. Miss Hiss gets money then." She had a dark, weary face and Lion-O noticed she was thinner than the others. Two little boy wolves – perhaps four years old – peeped out from behind her and he realized they were her brothers. They looked slightly healthier, and he knew where part of her food went. Something like pained pride welled up inside him; even in a place like this, family was strong. "We can't talk to anyone."

"No one in town has ever done anything about this?"

"Some have tried. But it's never enough. And Miss Hiss…she has a name in Rana Village." The group murmured and Lion-O searched through a satchel on his belt. Panthro would have killed him, but he'd brought a few rations along – hard biscuits and dried meat, nothing very tasty but at least sustaining – and he passed these around as well. To see the gaunt faces light up made his heart break. Such scraps shouldn't look like a feast to children.

When he got back to the Imperial City, things were going to have to change here. How they'd gotten so bad he couldn't understand. Even a neutral territory could not do such things.

"So she keeps out of trouble because of these friends? Who are they?"

He gave the wolf girl a little extra, and the children gazed at him with appreciation. She looked about thirteen, and reasoned that she was likely the mother figure for most of them since she seemed to be the oldest of all of the children here. She gnawed a slab of dried meat and shrugged. "Different traders. Usually with the guys that drop off stuff or collect stuff. I guess they like trading with her."

Lion-O nodded. "What sort of stuff?"

"She always ties the bags up tight so we can't look inside. If anyone tries to peek she threatens us. Nobody cares to look; it feels like rocks when we're carrying them for her. Ballast for the Fel Sea ships maybe. They head that way I think."

Considering this, Lion-O straightened. "Where does she make you put these bags?"

"In the orphanage. There's a room she takes them to, but we're not allowed in. It's always locked." The girl looked around. "We'll be in trouble if she sees us talking to an outsider. Are you really trying to stop her?"

"Not by myself." Lion-O made sure to scan the windows of the building before continuing, "This may be a weird question, but what kind of people bring the stuff? Are they birds? Or cats?"

She gave him a look. "They're usually snow leopards or those weird cold people. Luna. They come to get the stuff in winter and snow leopards come in summer because it's too hot for the Luna when it's warm. Any kind of person drops it off."

Lion-O slowly looked toward the building again. Tygra finding something was their best chance, and he listened intently for the sound of invisible footsteps.

* * *

Tygra didn't like to think of himself as nosy, but it was fun to creep around invisible and spy on people. People acted completely different when they didn't think anyone was watching them. They picked their noses, scratched unseemly places, made bizarre comments, and Tygra sometimes had to punch himself to keep from howling with laughter.

Today things were serious though. He'd spirited after Panthro on silent feet and examined the hallway. He didn't bother following Miss Hiss, instead deviating off into another corridor, one after the other. She wouldn't have anything incriminating in her office that he could get to while she was in there. Some dark, hidden room would turn up better results. His sharp eyes scanned the rooms, checking for anything.

This place would have been shut down in five minutes in Dera's Run. Shabby beds and blankets littered most of the rooms, some of them inhabited by tiny children and he cursed Miss Hiss. If Panthro still wanted to leave by tomorrow and they hadn't done anything, he'd tell Lion-O they had to stay. They would be the most dishonorable scum if they left these children like this. The world might need saving but these kids definitely did, and he got the feeling Lion-O would side with him. It would serve Panthro right to have his protectorate call him out for being a jerk…not to mention Lion-O was definitely the one in charge. Which seemed strange; Panthro didn't seem like the type to be bossed around, and being at the beck and call of a page boy was unusual.

Perhaps it came with being page boy to the king himself.

Tygra darted across another hall and then backed up slightly. At the end of this corridor was a latched doorframe on the ground leading down into the floor; a cellar perhaps? Cellars were good places for hiding anything. He'd been present for raids in Dera's Run – Xiame had overseen a few and he'd tagged along – and cellars always hid something. Adulterous love letters, smuggled goods, illegal items…his fingers itched with curiosity and he felt himself flickering back into visibility. He cracked the whip once more, renewing its energy, and hurried to the door in case anyone had heard. It wasn't good to wear it out by repeated use without reprieve, but this was important.

It was locked. Oh darn. He smirked and felt for his hair, pulling out a thin metal clip. One of his braids fell loose but he ignored it, using the wire to pick the lock. It came open easily enough and the hinges didn't creak as he opened the door. It was maintained well and used often.

Stairs led down into the dark and Tygra replaced the pin in his hair. Maybe those tribal tigers had known more than just how to look fabulous. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he scanned the room. He saw what had to be a lamp and fumbled for the switch to light the oil. It flared up and a burning smell hit his nose.

Sacks were piled against one wall. All of the mouths were slightly open, wrinkled as if they'd been recently untied, but he didn't immediately go to examine them or see what was inside. There was a desk by the lamp and folded pages sat atop it. He picked up one and scanned it.

'Three loads, six satches. Order from Lune for five loads, send these save two satches. Standard rates apply, five extra gold for shipping costs, three for travel documents. Prices supposed to increase in a month, plan accordingly. Charge eight gold more per satch to compensate. Send two extra to forest facility for processing.'

"'Order from Lune?'" he murmured aloud. Turning to the sacks and opening one, he continued, "What would they want from here…?"

Rocks. He picked up a couple and sniffed them, scraping at the rough exterior with his thumb claw. Dirt fell away and Tygra stared. And then he stared some more.

He looked at the letter again, thinking quickly and scanning them more carefully, picking out names and lists of items. Not all the ingredients were located solely in the north. Perhaps demand was so great that even Lune's reserves could not satisfy the want for it, and they were pulling substances in from all over the planet. Combine it with the rest of the ingredients and stretch the market further…

Tygra picked up some of the stones again and put them in his pocket beside several of the letters and order sheets, turning himself invisible and whisking up the stairs, fleeing the building as fast as he could to find Lion-O.

Because if the main mineral used to create Mutation could be found hidden in a cellar in Rana Village, there was no telling where the stuff could be going now.

* * *

 **End of Episode 3**


	4. Chapter 4

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

Readers, you have our apologies for the delay in this installment. Life intervened in the update schedule. We hope you enjoy the latest offering.

* * *

 **Episode 4**

 **Muddy Problems, Part 2**

* * *

Slithe had settled heavily on the plains away from the cats, and only now that it was well after dawn did he feel well enough to get up. Still enormous, he shook off and snarled, feeling his burns and the nicks in his feet. The tall grass reached his knees here, and the sun warmed it so it felt good against his scales even if nothing else did.

It hurt. Those cats had hurt him, a general of the Alliance. With their ridiculous, untrained hands and weak team, they had actually injured him. Not seriously, but it still slapped him with conceit. He screeched, thrashing his tail and striking the ground, leaving indentations where the weight fell. The grass was crushed. The cats were not as weak as they looked. What to do now? He had to kill them; he'd said he would. And he probably could, if he went about it carefully.

But it still hurt, which quite stunned him. He hadn't felt pain in a long time. He sat long enough to tend the cuts on his feet, licking them with his tongue to clear them of grass. It was begrudgingly exciting in a way, for a warrior was also interested by a challenge.

The lion had known how to fight. So had the panther. The tiger and cheetah were not quite so trained, but they understood the basics of combat. And they had followed the lion's orders, who wielded a sword. Now, why was the question of the hour…could it be that the king wanted to deal with the threats in silence? Be the calm ruler from afar and send his servants out to fight for him? Fitting for a cat.

That sword…its bite was unfamiliar. Slithe looked down at his gnarled, clawed hands and examined the scratches. Something about it was very, very strange and it made his tail curl with loathing. It was like a hot needle pressing into him. His mind lingered on it and he had to shake himself to rouse his mind from the searing heat.

Perhaps he ought to cause a little trouble. See what the cats could do if he attacked from the sky. Slithe's great, drooping mouth grinned. He could wreak havoc on Rana Village easily enough. Sure one of the trades ran through the village, but if he could get rid of a few of these meddlers with their accursed antimutagen, it would be worth it.

Besides, someone else would just come along to pick up the trade. They might agree to send the substances more cheaply. He opened his wings and began pacing heavily over the flat ground, flapping and bearing upward in a cool morning gust. His dose would last a while longer; Slithe was feeling the effects of the substance, and his pain made him angry. It was more refined than the stuff they gave test subjects, and his mind only lapsed in savage destruction every now and then. His lust for death and bodies had increased with his humiliation, and he intended to swallow at least one of those cats before noon today.

* * *

The lizard girl tugged on Lion-O's cloak. "What kind of cat are you?"

Lion-O kept one ear tuned for the caretaker or Tygra and said, "Lion. My name is Lion-O." She giggled and he smiled; it was pretty redundant after all. "What's your name?"

She grinned and twisted in something like a shy dance. "My name's Lisssa."

"It's nice to meet you." All the bright, round eyes looking at him never left and he wondered why for a moment. They stared at him as if he were an alien, and it wasn't just because he was a foreign cat species. "What is it? You're all staring."

One boy shrugged. "You're nice, and you came to see us. Nobody comes to check on us, forget feed us." Lion-O now understood the hungry look in their eyes; it was the mistrust of and desire for kindness, not just food. He reached out and touched the top of the boy's head. He was some sort of mixed dog breed and his ear twitched as if he didn't quite know what to say, and that any touch was not expected for something as plain as a nice gesture. His hair was very dirty and matted, and Lion-O felt sweat and heat from his skull. He was tired and that a child knew this weariness – this deathly despair – was wrong.

Tygra appeared out of nowhere and Lion-O's heart nearly stopped, crouched beside the group. The children shrieked but quickly quieted as Tygra shoved one of the rocks into Lion-O's hands. "That…was in…the cellar. This village…is part of the Mutation trade."

Lion-O waited for his heart to start beating normally before he looked down. "Tygra…wait, Mutation trade? That can't…we're too far from Lune and Tropo. Aren't we?"

"Hey, you said it yourself. They could be importing ingredients they're short on." Tygra had been bent at the waist, panting, and he held his side for a second. "Ow. Dang, why's Cheetara got to be right?"

The children were staring at him, jostling around Lion-O in a furry, fuzzy, scaly crowd. Tygra noticed them after a moment and said, "Hi. Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Lion-O was studying the mineral in his hands in disbelief, turning it over and over. "This was in the cellar? In a bunch of bags?"

"Yeah. And get this, I have some of the order sheets." He offered Lion-O these and the little lizard girl peered up at it.

"That's Miss Hiss's writing all right. She makes squiggly tails," she assured somberly.

"Tygra, have you read these? The shipments from here head through Tropo to Lune to be processed, and then back down to Tropo for shipping. I'll bet they spread like fire from there. No wonder Dera's Run has seen it. And processing in the south too…in the forests?" Lion-O was turning from page to page. "Some of them are even contracts, look at them…they were just sitting out?"

"No, they were stacked on a desk down in the locked cellar. I'll bet you the whole reason the orphanage is here is so that woman has a front to keep the trade hidden. Mutation is illegal here, right?" Tygra asked.

All the children nodded. "There are only three laws in Rana Village other than the curfew," the wolf girl said. "No stealing, pay when bills come due, and no Mutation. The last one makes breaking the first two way too easy."

"Right. When did this chick open the orphanage?" Tygra asked.

"Well…she didn't. She took over three years ago. My parents ran this place until she came to town and asked for a job. They hired her but she was horrible, and the night before they died they said they were going to fire her. She was always snooping around and being hateful to the children." The girl wolf looked at her brothers. One of them popped his thumb into his mouth and looked forlorn. "The next morning they were dead. The place has gotten worse and worse ever since she took over. Nobody listened when I said they hadn't wanted her in charge. She was the only person that would take over."

"Ah. So she didn't build it, she just muscled in on the territory." Lion-O and Tygra didn't dare voice their belief that Miss Hiss had killed the couple; the iron in the wolf girl's eyes showed she knew this and the rest of the kids would have freaked out if they said it. Some of the older ones' eyes flitted around as if they thought this as well. "Yeah, we're definitely raising a complaint."

Lion-O gave the order papers to the girl. "I know we're strangers, but this is very important. Will you go with me to take these to the wolves Dyre and Timbyr? They don't like Miss Hiss either, and they'll listen."

The girl nodded. "At this point, strangers are kinder to us than those we know. How sad." She looked down at the little boys. "Can they come?" Both clenched at her skirt, noses short and snuffling and their eyes very big and bright.

"…I suppose that's for the best," Lion-O said. "We'll need an insider, and you're old enough that they'll listen." He looked down at the boys. "Can they run fast?"

"No. I'll carry them," she said. Both cats watched as she knelt to pick them up, grunting under the weight. Lion-O crouched in the mud instead.

"Come on, climb up." The boys obeyed, jabbering when he stood up, both hanging on to his shoulders. "Tygra, let Panthro and Cheetara know about this and keep an eye out for Slithe. I'll be back." The girl took the crook of his arm and one boy tickled her with his tail.

"Oh, do I get to confront the witch?" Tygra rubbed his hands together.

Lion-O sighed. "I suppose if you must. It might be better if you hold off on that until we get Dyre and Timbyr's help."

"I make no promises. With dirt like this, they'll have no choice but to pick a new caretaker, right?" Tygra looked gleefully vindictive, and Lion-O took off, the wolf girl keeping up easily and looking quite entertained. The pups on his back squealed happily as he ran.

Things were coming together. Who knew this hero thing could be so simple?

* * *

Hiss's face was getting tense. "I already told you that the orphanage survives on donations. That's why things are so rough."

Cheetara tilted her head, lower lip protruding just a tad. "That's such a shame. Because having kids in such a dank place must be heartbreaking for the whole town and yourself. Are you absolutely sure there's no way you could hire me to help around here?"

Hiss's claws rapped against the desk. "If you're looking for a job as a caretaker you'd be better off in a bigger city. Around here, I'm the only one that can take care of the children. The orphanage was left to me and I run it the best I can. I'm not hiring, no matter how many references you have." Pantho looked about as bored as could be and Cheetara folded her fingers.

"Are you sure? I have about three more." Keeping this woman in the office was difficult; it had been about half an hour and Hiss was ready to strangle her. Cheetara could tell because the white and brown tail was absolutely straight, a sure sign of frustration.

"No. Really."

The woman stood up and Cheetara bit back a growl. "Oh, all right, but maybe I could help you tidy up? Volunteer work is important to me as well and I-"

"You will be helping me if you leave," Hiss said softly. "You've kept me from my work for some time now, and with so many children here I'm quite busy."

"Yeah, ruining lives is a full-time job, right?"

Hiss looked up, startled, and Cheetara glanced back. Tygra was looking airily cocky, and Panthro had not reacted to his entrance, and he was draped casually against the doorframe. "What took you?" Cheetara asked.

"Hey, Panthro was afraid this would take a whole day. Just be glad it only took twenty minutes." Tygra paced into the room, stopping on the other side of Hiss's desk. "I would just give myself up if I were you. You're done."

Hiss blinked. "I…I'm sorry young man. I don't know what you mean."

"Cut the crap lady. We know you're using kids as free labor, and that you're abusing the system by taking the allowance the merchants grant you to take part in the Mutation trade. You had to pick the one thing that was illegal to trade in, didn't you?"

At this Hiss's face became utterly blank. Cheetara's jaw dropped and Panthro's eyebrows rose half an inch. "…Why would you say that?"

Tygra replied by taking out a piece of unrefined green stone and showing it to her. It glowed dully. "I found that in your cellar. The whole orphanage is just a big sham to keep people from looking around, isn't it? Miners bring it by, you evaluate it and conceal it and provide a junction for the next traders to take it to be processed. Lune needs more materials so you cash in on it. Trying to cut costs with child labor too."

Hiss's face had turned white, save for her cheeks which were pink. Pure wrath held her lips tight. "You've been in my private rooms. How dare you."

"I don't think anyone will have as big an issue with that as with you. We've got a few friends ourselves, and they'll know about it by now." Cheetara watched Tygra's mouth curl and wondered how he could smile at all. She was fighting the urge to beat the whiskers out of the other cat.

"Not bad kid. I have to admit, this is coming together better than I'd hoped." Panthro examined his claws as he thought. "Just need a new caretaker after this."

"I beg your pardon." Hiss had remained standing and her fur was an outraged puff. "But you seem to think that I'm just going to be shipped to some prison because a few rats have gone poking around where they shouldn't? You really think it'll be that easy?"

"Yeah, we do. Everybody around hates you anyway." Tygra was blunt and he lifted his head. "Does anyone else hear yelling?"

Cheetara straightened. Through the shabby, thin walls she too heard screams and shouts. "Oh no…"

A long roar from overhead made Panthro issue a profanity. "Slithe."

He dashed out the door, and Cheetara looked at the woman with fury. "What do we do? We can't let her run off."

Tygra took firm hold of the woman's shoulders. "We lock her in the cellar. It's safe enough and she won't be able to get out."

Hiss went quietly, eyes so cold that Cheetara wondered how anyone could ever have put her in charge of an orphanage. "You'll regret this." Ignoring her, Tygra guided her out and Cheetara ran past him.

"I'm going to help with Slithe. Tygra, once you see to her, round up the kids and get them somewhere safe. I'll try to do what I did before."

She was gone after that, in the thunderous sound of air being displaced at a high speed.

* * *

Lion-O saw Slithe coming in the distance as he reached Dyre's shop stall. The wolf was peering up at the creature and said, "What in the world is-?"

"Take these kids and get inside. I'll deal with Slithe." Lion-O put down the pups who were delighted to see a grown male wolf. Dyre stared at them and the girl. Pausing, Lion-O knelt to speak to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Leofa."

"I need you to tell Dyre and his brother Timbyr everything you know about Miss Hiss and the Mutation trade she's running. Stay down and listen to him."

Dyre's jaw dropped. The roar from the sky made someone scream, and things only started to escalate, merchants hastily gathering wares and starting to run. "Wh-Mutation? Hiss is dealing in-?"

"She's shipping materials to Tropo and Lune! Look, I don't have time! Get into a solid building or into a cellar!" Lion-O turned around and drew his sword. "Just keep those kids safe and stay away from Slithe!"

He took off toward the fat, hovering beast. Slithe was scanning the village and Lion-O turned the flat of his blade toward the sun, letting the light blaze to get his attention. Slithe's head snapped toward him and another low growl rattled the ground. But instead of alighting, the beast swung low, dragging his feet against a mud hut. It shattered on impact and Lion-O heard more screams and he forced himself to run faster. "Stop! Leave them alone!"

Slithe grinned, lips peeling over his teeth. He kicked another hut before rising into the air again, far beyond Lion-O's reach. The building crumbled, sending dust and debris over Lion-O. He coughed in the cloud, relieved when he saw shaky people emerging from the ruins and fleeing. "Get out of the area! Go, go!"

The lizard was enjoying himself, and Lion-O cursed whatever allowed him to keep his mind; he wouldn't come down and he could do untold amounts of damage by skimming just out of reach. Lion-O dashed forward fruitlessly, watching Slithe slam his tail into a tent and missing its tip by less than a foot.

"Too slow." The rasp of that voice made Lion-O snarl, but a gust suddenly whipped past him, a golden blur springing to the top of a hut and then up to Slithe's back. Cheetara was there, swinging her staff, and it cracked against the sinuous neck. Slithe bellowed, shocked and senseless from the impact against his spine.

Lion-O jumped forward and caught her as she came back to the ground, setting her safely in the dirt. "'Too slow?' I don't know the meaning of it!" she called, landing on her feet solidly. Slithe was fumbling in the air, bobbing like a lure, and as he came lower Lion-O looked at Cheetara.

"I'm not even going to ask how you did that." She shot him a wild grin and he hurled himself onto a roof as well, digging in with his claws to make it to the flimsy peak of the house. Jumping, he just managed to snag Slithe's ankle. Slithe kicked but Lion-O was already climbing up his back. Cheetara hurled rocks at the lizard, drawing his wrathful attention from the lion. Lion-O swung himself up to the wings and plunged the Sword of Omens deep into the membrane. It was shockingly tough, like a stringy cut of raw meat, and he sliced down with all his strength.

Slithe screamed and plummeted toward the ground, air streaming through the hole in his wing. Lion-O jumped clear and Cheetara darted from side to side when Slithe's limbs thrashed back and forth, desperate to strike.

"Okay, what now?" she asked. Slithe had stopped kicking and was rolling onto his stomach, injured wing dragging along the ground. Lion-O shut his mouth; he hadn't gotten that far in planning.

"We need to take him down. I brought antimutagen this time; the sooner we beat him the sooner these people are safe." Lion-O fumbled for his belt, searching for a canister, but Slithe's eyes fixed on him, snarling and teeth running wet with saliva.

"I'll keep him busy! Go for someplace soft to stick the needle!" Cheetara sprinted in, faster than breath, and Slithe snapped at her afterimage like an angry crocodile. She sprang into acrobatics, somersaulting over the scaly back, and Slithe swung his tail.

Just a second too late. Cheetara's hands found purchase on the rough scales and she sprang into something like a fantastic cartwheel, making the lizard bellow. He was turning now, and Lion-O had the canister opened. Prowling after the beast, he didn't dare to breathe, slinking toward the muscular haunches and – more specifically – the back legs and feet. The Sword of Omens had pierced the bottoms of Slithe's feet before; the scales were softer there, and a needle could jab between them as easily as a sword.

At that moment something terrible happened.

Slithe was not a general for nothing, and in spite of Cheetara's speed he finally predicted her position accurately and his teeth closed on her arm, just snagging a grip to pull at her fur. It was enough; she stumbled, hot, moist breath rolling over her. Then Slithe snapped again, grabbing her by the hair. He lifted his head, dragging her into the air, and Cheetara screamed in anger and pain.

Lion-O jumped forward with the blade drawn and Slithe grinned. Snapping his head back around, Slithe hurled Cheetara toward Lion-O and he only managed to move the blade out of the way as she impacted him. The sharp edge could have slit her in two, but instead Lion-O found himself being smashed into the ground by her thin frame.

The two lay stunned for a moment, Cheetara pushing herself onto her knees. "Sorry…"

Lion-O's ears were ringing. The back of his head had connected with something hard on the ground and his vision flickered. But the crash that echoed out next made him sit up anyway, Cheetara sprawled across his lap. Slithe had started slamming his tail into more mud huts and tents, sending the materials flying.

Something glinted in the light and Lion-O's heart sank; Slithe had seen it too and scuttled toward it. Lion-O threw himself at the canister – it had flown from his hand when Cheetara hit him – but Slithe pricked the glass with one delicate black claw, shattering the glass and sending the precious antimutagen into the moist ground.

The wide, sharp mouth grinned and Cheetara slowly got to her feet as he began trudging toward them. "That was the only one you brought, wasn't it?"

"Most unfortunately. Didn't want to risk the rest. Bad decision on my part." He was on all fours and backed up until he could get to his feet. "I don't suppose you have any ideas?"

"Yeah, get him to stop smashing houses." Cheetara shook her head fiercely, eyes blinking rapidly.

Lion-O watched Slithe's serpentine neck sway like a cobra's ready to strike, lids low and almost sleepy. "We can't take him on our own. Not without putting people in danger."

"No kidding. Tygra and Panthro should be on their way, but I-"

The two flung themselves in opposite directions as the claws sliced into where they'd been. "What about the kids?" Lion-O called, swiping at Slithe's wrists with the Sword of Omens. It glanced off the flat scales and Slithe backhanded him. The claws hitting his side stung but he shrugged it off.

"I thought they'd join the other children! They never came to find you?" Cheetara's voice was high and Lion-O's stomach rose with it before plummeting. He ducked under Slithe's next swing, needling the bottoms of his forelegs – hands, he supposed – and Slithe kept snapping at him, teeth flashing.

Slithe was strong but too slow to keep up with them, and Lion-O couldn't help but wonder if they might be able to wear him down. More screams killed this hope; the lizard had, in his frustration, kicked in the wall of the nearest hut. Lion-O let out a cry when he saw people flying from the wreckage, covered in debris, heavy scaled feet crunching the dirt around their prone bodies. "Stop! You'll kill them!"

"Then hold still!" Slithe hissed. Lion-O saw his head looming down and raised the blade in time to block the fangs from closing around his head. The metal locked between the teeth as Slithe bit down and Lion-O tightened his grip as the lizard lifted him by the sword. He refused to let go, but at the deadly gleam in Slithe's eye Lion-O realized that if he didn't release his hold the lizard was going to throw him. And it was going to be fatal. Cheetara connected with the creature's chest, trying to shock him, but he batted her aside like a twig.

"Hey, lizard guy!" Slithe turned his head to look for the speaker and Lion-O dangled from the Sword of Omens, still trying to pry it loose from between the sharp teeth. Wilykat was standing on top of what had been a thatched roof, grinning. "I don't think you need iron, just a plain diet. I'm surprised you can fly at all, fatty."

Slithe's jaw loosened and Lion-O freed the blade. "…What?" The word was soft, shocked, as if a trash-talking child were beyond his realm of experience.

"Kat, get out of here! He's dangerous!" Lion-O yelled. Slithe backhanded him again, this time without looking and with twice the anger. Smashing into the wreck of a hut, Lion-O lay senseless and stunned, fingers twitching as he tried to make his vision stop flickering. The back of his head felt wet, as if he'd laid down in a warm puddle, and he could feel his heartbeat in it.

Kat's tail twitched but that was the only sign he'd even noticed. "Did I touch a nerve, chubs?"

Slithe roared, bellow blowing Kat's fur back. "Don't. Call. Me. CHUBS!"

Slithe was actually responding to a goad about his weight? Lion-O blinked and listened to the crunch of the feet. He had to help Kat…help move people…but he couldn't lift his head…

The sound of the footsteps grew a little fainter. Lion-O drifted between awake and unconscious, sick with the impact of his head against wood and he opened and closed his mouth, gasping and trying to force himself to move. They were going away…he had to intervene. Oh, why was he so useless? He'd lost his focus for just a second and now a child could die because of it. He cursed himself and Slithe, sweating with the effort of lifting his head.

"Lion-O! Lion-O?" Cheetara was over him, her golden hair falling in his face as she helped him sit up. "Say something. Nod, blink, anything."

The movement jarred him, making him groan and shift. Feeling for the back of his neck Lion-O felt a hot place and a little blood; a bruise and a few cuts from splinters in the wall. And one big goose egg. But he seemed to be intact save for this. "The kids. Slithe."

Cheetara nodded and helped him up. "You're in no condition to go after them. Kat's…I think he's leading Slithe." She looked after the pair and Lion-O followed her gaze, feeling sick at the grin on the boy's face – his teeth were white and glittered in the light – and the proximity of the lizard's claws. People were watching now, creeping out of their shelters and the wrecks of their homes to stare. "I'll go and stop Slithe, you stay here."

"No. I can't let you guys…go without me." Lion-O shook himself, fighting the dizzy feeling building in his skull. "I'm okay. Kat's going to get himself killed."

At that moment Slithe snapped at the boy, and Lion-O's heart stopped, for Kat had fallen backwards and was sprawled on the ground like a cockroach on his back before a hungry bird. Cheetara sprinted, a gust of wind, and Lion-O's knees couldn't hold him. They buckled and his vision went, leaving him helpless and yelling.

* * *

Wilykat had stared death down although it had never been slow before. It had always been some quick jump to escape from a blow or something, fast and swift and light. This heavy lizard sloughing toward him through the mud was so frustratingly slow, and Wilykat fell and faced a slow stare down with long, wet teeth and a hollow, dark throat.

This wasn't in his plan.

Before Slithe came down, he heard a howl from Lion-O, one of anger and fear. Then there was a shrill whistle. "Mister Lizard! Big lizard guy! Hey! Hey!"

Slithe froze, jaw hanging low enough to scoop Kat up and swallow him whole. Ooh, that was a horrible thought, breaking down alive in stomach acid. Prancing just beyond them was his sister, hopping in place. "I got a question. Since you can't handle the grownups, do you think you can handle a little girl kitten? Or should I go extra easy on you too?"

Slithe didn't reply, stare flat. Kat didn't dare to breathe. Cheetara was there in a rush and picked him up, sliding out from under Slithe's mouth.

And the thick legs trudged toward his sister and Wilykat blushed and wiggled free from Cheetara's arms. Wilykit skipped away, humming cheerfully. "I won't go too fast. I know it's hard for big lizards to keep up with kids. How old are you anyway?"

Slithe hissed, breath a wet froth. Kat sprinted around, past his sister, and then both of them proceeded to taunt and call, wiggling their tails and jeering. Slithe occasionally smashed something as he marched through town to follow them, but he wasn't intentionally crushing people, so it was the best anyone could hope for.

Behind the cute faces were cogs turning, and Wilykat glanced at his sister, who returned the look. They were of one accord in this, and the sooner they reached the edge of town, the sooner they'd reach the place.

A glint of uncertain yellow flashed. Cheetara was behind Slithe, staring at the kittens, as if trying to reason out their actions. Kit put a finger to her lips and kept bounding ahead. "Come on big guy! Work those haunches! Exercise is good for the heart." Kat made a cheeky face and followed his sister.

Hitting the kittens was nearly impossible. They were spry and agile, tiny and flexible, and they darted between buildings, over the swiping claws, and weren't quite out of breath when the buildings ended and the sludge of Rana Village's exterior oozed under their toes. Slithe was breathing hard, angry and fed up, but Kat spotted their goal; two little red flags in the distance.

They sped up. "We're getting away, chubs!"

Slithe screeched and stumbled forward, following them. When each kitten reached a flag – as tall as they were, banners rolling – they paused as if tired. Then both assumed frightened faces. "Uh oh. I didn't think he'd make it this far!" Kit whispered, aware that Slithe could hear them.

The wicked grin was ugly, and Kat tried not to grin himself. "Oh no! Kit, he's gonna get us!"

Slithe gathered himself to spring and both kittens cowered. And then, when the massive weight flung into the air, their faces lit up and they dove aside, weariness gone.

Slithe came down clumsily, having intended to grab the kittens with his hind legs to crush them underfoot. But instead he fell forward, missing and tripping.

His forelegs sank into the ground, all the way up to his chest. Alarmed, Slithe tried to pull back, claws finding no purchase in the mud and slipping forward. The sludge rose up as he fell in like a bath, and he was up to his neck in a few seconds.

Every member of Rana Village knew where the mud holes were, and the kittens had known exactly which one to lead him to. It was the most shallow of all – the chilling thought of leading someone to their death on purpose had not even occurred to them; they only knew they needed to stop him from breaking things and hurting people – and was sticky and thick, a grand method of halting a monster in its tracks.

Kat and Kit plopped down on the bank, watching Slithe struggle and aware that there was a bed to this pit close enough to the surface that he wouldn't drown. Cats had but they were much smaller than this guy. "Nicely done, sis."

"Back at you, bro." They high-fived and the soft rush of wind told them Cheetara had come up behind them.

"…Okay, that was seriously impressive and stupid." The woman stooped and Kat felt absurdly pleased by her beautiful surprise and the way she rubbed her knuckles messily over their hair. "Never do anything that dangerous again."

"Yeah yeah. We're kids, shouldn't risk our lives, blah blah. So, are you gonna shock him or leave him there?" Kat looked at her staff, eager to see it light up again.

At this moment Slithe surged upward and both kittens paled. His mass weighed him down, but while his wings were injured, they were not useless; they pumped at the slime, pushing him up like flippers. With a heavy motion he flopped out of the mud hole, covered in something like watery clay, sides heaving. He was free of the hole but the weight of the earth on him pinned him to the bank. How long would it be before he got up and started attacking again?

"…Uh oh."

Cheetara activated her staff, and the air around it grew warm. "Hang on." She sprinted in, skirting the edge of the mud hole and both kittens watched with nervous flicks of their tails.

Cheetara stood down there, staff almost connected to Slithe's neck, and he seemed to hiss something at her, backing away with clumsy, exhausted motions, nearly falling over his numb feet. Cheetara paused and replied, backing away instead and heading back toward them with one ear cocked back. Slithe watched her with marked dislike and lumbered in the opposite direction. He moved very slowly now, limping, and his march was indignant.

"He said that he'd leave if we'd agree to a stalemate, but that he'd run back into the village and start tearing it apart again if we didn't leave him alone for now. And I told him we'd keep blowing him to pieces if he stayed. So it's a temporary truce." Cheetara watched him go, and Kat felt his fear ease.

"I still think you could take him!" Kit objected.

"Maybe. But I'm more worried about the village right now," Cheetara replied, taking their paws. "Come on, let's go check on Lion-O and see where Tygra and Panthro are."

Kit seemed elated that the woman had chosen to hold her hand but Kat blushed, tugging his fingers out of her grip. It made his tummy roll when Cheetara held his hand. "Hey…where did you two go after I started talking to Miss Hiss?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh…well, we didn't want to be near her. And we, uh…were trying to figure out if we could sneak into your trunk and close it from the inside. Or hide in the luggage or something." Her stern look make Kat scowl. "Oh, come on! We can't stay with that woman!"

"I don't think you'll have to. She's been trading in Mutation and we have witnesses. I daresay someone else will be in charge of the orphanage soon." At this the kittens gawked and cheered, bouncing in place.

Lion-O was still on the ground when the returned, helping some cats dig a family of lizardmen out of the remains of their house. He had to stop every few seconds to hold his head. Kat and Kit dashed up to him, both of them inspecting the wounds. "Aw man, it's the size of an egg!"

Cheetara used her staff to pry some of the heavier debris off what had once been a kitchen, and a woman and her son crawled out, covered in filth and gasping in the clear air. "What was that beast? He smashed our house without even trying!"

"A Mutant," Cheetara said. She moved to look at Lion-O's head, grimacing. "Oh man, it really is as big as an egg. Can you even see?"

"It comes and goes." Lion-O tried to stand up, swaying. The kittens came to his sides to help him steady his legs. "Agh…I think I could use some ice or something. That should help."

"Whoa. What happened here?" Tygra and Panthro had finally arrived, looking bedraggled and more than a little irritated. Cheetara cocked her head and Tygra explained, "All these people were running out of this area and we couldn't get through. Don't tell me Slithe's gone?"

"Yep. We agreed to a stalemate after the kids lured him into a bog. Lion-O got hurt though." Panthro gave her an incredulous look and turned his gaze on the kittens next.

"Wait. You lured him into a mud hole?"

"Uh huh. Then he got out but he agreed to leave without smashing anymore of the city." Kat crossed his arms. "Not bad for kids, huh? We might be useful after all, right?"

Panthro did not reply to this, moving to examine Lion-O's head. "What about the kids?" Tygra asked. "The wolf girl and her brothers?"

"With Dyre and Timbyr." Lion-O gestured and Kat followed this with his head, seeing the two wolves that ran the Candyfruit-spiking shop with Leofa and the two pups. Timbyr was with them, his one good eye wide as he surveyed the destruction. Kat waved at Leofa, who approached with the pups in tow.

"Your friends have strange enemies," she observed.

"Yeah, totally. Hey, is Miss Hiss really going to be arrested?" Kit asked. Leofa looked up at Timbyr, whose ears pricked at the sound of the woman's name.

"Certainly. If these allegations are true – and I've no doubt of that – then she'll be sent to the Imperial City to serve prison time."

Lion-O blinked at this. "I thought Rana Village counted as neutral territory because it was a trade zone. Why would she go to the Imperial City?"

"We have no prison of our own and we send those who break our laws to be judged in the Imperial City due to their reputation for relatively fair courts. It's cheaper for us too." Timbyr was letting the pups hug his legs and absently tickled them with his tail, making them cackle. Lion-O still seemed bemused by the policy. "I still can't believe it…I knew things were rough, but Leofa's been telling us about the orphanage. It's a hole of misery."

"Hiss did her best to keep it hidden, I think," Cheetara said. "She fed me stories about how hard it was to look after all those kids. And nobody goes near there because it's considered private property. Y'know, I'm all for independent responsibility, but you guys could really use a local council or government or something…"

Kat seemed to be fixated on some thought, tail low. "What's the matter kid? Old Hiss is going to be arrested, the orphanage is going to get better, we'll keep an eye out for your parents…what could be better?" Tygra asked. "You hungry or something? We could probably fix that, there's a messed up fruit stall right there."

Kat looked up, frowning earnestly. "Well…I feel bad for calling Slithe fat."

Everyone else paused. Kit nodded in empathy. "Yeah. Mommy and Daddy always told us not to make fun of people, even if they are mean or look funny. It's not nice to say stuff like that."

The adults exchanged confused glances. Kat was embarrassed by this silly shame, but it hurt to be made fun of. And nobody could say their parents hadn't raised them to be kind. "Guys, you did what you had to. If you hadn't goaded him, we'd be dead now," Lion-O said. "Besides, when he's trying to kill others and wreck villages, I don't think hurting his feelings is such a bad thing." He wavered again and Panthro moved to his side to support him. "Considering he was busy hurting my skull, anyway…"

Leofa's eyes were bright and she tugged at Timbyr. "Come on, we have to get Miss Hiss before she leaves town! The children will need a new caretaker right away."

"Relax, the bat's in her cellar. I locked her in." Tygra skirted around the wolf pups as they giggled, running around him. They were excited by all the fuss and Timbyr followed them, making sure they didn't run off. They doubled back and jumped on him, one for each arm, and his wide mouth broke into a lopsided smile.

"My brother should be heading that way now. Lion-O, I have some ice in our stall. You can have some of that for your head." Looking relieved, Lion-O let Panthro help him after Timbyr as he carried the pups, and Kat followed with his sister close behind. It was a silly, dizzy sensation; Miss Hiss would be arrested and sent away? The orphanage would no longer be filthy and decrepit and hungry? It wasn't what they had wanted, but any improvement at all was worth being happy over. Even though they really, really, really wanted to go to Tropo themselves, these kind cats were going to look for their parents. They watched in polite quiet as Timbyr sat Lion-O down and gave him a lump of ice wrapped in cloth. Lion-O's brows eased at the contact and he sighed.

Certainly these cats could be trusted. But Kat was still musing on ways he might convince the others to let him and his sister come along when the tent flap opened and Dyre poked his head through the opening. Kat and Kit liked Dyre; he often let them have untreated Candyfruit, and he rarely snapped at children in the streets. His face was drawn and the wrinkle of his lips was troubled. "Hiss is gone."

"What do you mean she's gone?" Lion-O asked, ice dripping from his hand. Dyre raised his arms in bewilderment.

"I went and looked in the cellar and she wasn't there. The lock on the door was broken; I think she escaped somehow in the confusion when Slithe attacked."

"What? No way!" Tygra shot to his feet and stared at Dyre as if he thought he were lying. The pups began to wail in Timbyr's arms. "That's impossible, she was a shrimp. How could she have broken through a padlock like that?"

"I have no idea. The lock was shattered to pieces, like a great beast had torn it away." Dyre did not pick up on Tygra's almost-suspicion, crossing his arms. "I left the children with some of my friends. They're trying to figure out what to do now that the caretaker is gone. There was plenty of Mutation mineral in the cellar as you said, but many of the order sheets were torn to pieces."

Tygra was pacing in the small quarters, and Cheetara and the kittens had to pull in their feet every time he swept by. They were sitting in little chairs, and there was maybe a foot of space total for the tiger to prowl in. "I don't get it. She wouldn't have been strong enough to break out from the inside…unless…"

Panthro's expression became grim. "If there was Mutation mineral in there, might there have some emergency Mutation stashed in the desk?"

Smacking himself, Tygra sat down and buried his face in his hand. "I'm such an idiot! I didn't even think to check for something like that! She probably had a dose and used it to smash herself out. And now she's angry and on the loose, just like Slithe was."

Lion-O groaned. "Out of the mud, into the mire, huh?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe the lock was weak." Cheetara got up and pointed at Kat and Kit. "You two need to stick around here. If Hiss is really angry, she might come after you guys and she'll definitely be after us. And if she has Mutation in her, she'll be dangerous."

She was smart. Not to mention nice. Kat felt that awkward warm place in his stomach flip flop. Darnit, he hadn't hit puberty, he wasn't supposed to get crushes yet. Whatever puberty was. But man, that girl was powerful, and she had really pretty hair. And her nose got crinkly when she laughed. How could he not like her? "We can look after ourselves…we took care of Slithe!"

"Hiss won't be tricked into a mud hole," Lion-O said gently. Tygra, Panthro, and Cheetara all looked at him in contemplation. "What?"

"Maybe it'd be best if you stayed here with them." Cheetara's voice was quiet but Lion-O frowned.

"Why? Because of this little thing?" He gestured to the back of his head. "It's no big deal. I'm feeling better already."

He stared at an odd point in the floor and Tygra raised his eyebrows. "…How many fingers?" He held up four. Lion-O muttered something and blinked twice. "Look, Cheetara's right, you'd be better to stay here and look after the kids."

"You'd be a liability on the battlefield," Panthro said flatly when Lion-O looked mutinous. "Stay here with these guys and make sure the kids don't go running off. We'll find Hiss and deal with her and you guys stay where it's safer. Even if she's a Mutation user she won't be as strong as Slithe."

Lion-O sighed, head hurting just enough to agree with this logic thrown his way. "I guess. I'll help with cleanup and tell the local merchants about Miss Hiss."

"Sounds good," Cheetara said. It was encouraging, and Kat marveled that there wasn't even a hint of patronization in her voice. "Guys, you listen to Lion-O and stay here. Hopefully Hiss decided to run off and won't be back, but we'll look around for anything weird."

Kat and Kit nodded and Dyre paced around to examine the back of Lion-O's head and wince. "I'll get some good bandages, and I think one of the shops sells ointment from plants to help with swelling."

"That would be great. I hope Slithe doesn't get any ideas about coming back…unless he runs out of Mutation." Timbyr cocked his head and Lion-O continued, "For Mutants, their bodies metabolize the chemical faster. It's why they're so much more powerful. They use it up and return to normal, so they have to take it more often."

Kat prodded his arm. "How do you know so much about this stuff?"

Tygra grunted. "We'd all like to know that."

Lion-O pressed his palms to his eyes and sighed. "I'm from out west. We hear everything out west."

Wilykat blinked. "Okay…"

"You won't get any more out of him," Tygra said, suddenly a little irritated. "Look, it won't be hard to find her if we go now."

"Try the marshes, but watch out for mud holes," Kit advised. She sat down with Leofa and her brothers, uncaring of how their fur brushed. Wolves, cats, birds, lizards…they were all the same in the orphanage. "Miss Hiss would have run out there to get away."

Cheetara straightened and stretched. "Timbyr, Dyre, will you watch the kids?"

"As well as we're able." Timbyr glanced at Dyre. "Perhaps you ought to gather some of the others and take them to the orphanage and bring the children back here. I daresay they'll be hungry and nervous. Finny and Flap might stay here and watch the ones we bring."

Dyre nodded. "We owe them that much, and more than that as well. All of us knew Hiss for what she was, but we didn't think…"

"Nobody ever does. I get tired of hearing that," Panthro said. He turned to leave the tent and Tygra – after watching him with a slight frown – followed. Cheetara paused and her mouth tightened as she looked at Lion-O and the kittens.

"Seriously. Stay here, stay safe. Don't go running around or anything."

"If we hadn't before you would've-" Kit began. But Cheetara had already left and the girl crossed her arms, sulking. "We helped stop Slithe!"

"Yes you did. But it was very dangerous." Lion-O watched Dyre go and let Timbyr examined his injury, patting away the blood. "You guys were very clever. But cleverness isn't enough to keep you safe every time. We'd never forgive ourselves if you died because you were trying to help us. Which means no more heroics."

Kat groaned. "Grownups take all the fun out of everything."

* * *

Lion-O's head still reeled slightly about forty minutes later, but the pain of the bruise was much less after the cooling salve had been applied. Timbyr bound some soft, strong gauze around his head and told him to keep it on to make sure the ointment stayed in place and didn't get rubbed off. Wilykat and Wilykit made grotesque observations – "eeh, I think it's throbbing" – and Lion-O just tried to sit still with the wad of ice and not fall asleep. The pups were led into another room and given fresh Candyfruit.

"You've not got a concussion. You'll be all right by tonight if you keep it cold and treated."

More children were brought in periodically, most of them delighted and gleefully morbid. "They said they've never seen such an awful place as the orphanage," one robin said. "One of them threw up. We might cause a whole new bill to be passed about private properties being inspected if they're for orphaned children."

"Yeah, and they're gonna fix it and make it nice! The whole town is going to work on it!" The little lizard girl Lion-O had given a dumpling to – Lisssa – threw herself into his arms. "Thank you for finding out the bad things she was doing. They're going to make sure we all get a big dinner tonight after the village is fixed up!"

Lion-O found himself pleased by her grin and hugged her back, her scales scraping gently against his fur. "That's great kiddo. We were glad to help you. You really ought to thank Tygra; he's the one who found the Mutation. And Cheetara too, because she stalled Miss Hiss." Cheetara would appreciate the little girl's happiness, of this he was sure. The thought of her smile made his head hurt less, even though she had technically stuck him here with the kids like an accident prone child she was afraid would hurt himself again – which, to be fair, in his current state he probably would.

He noticed the kittens watching him and exchanging strange looks. The lizard girl chattered at him for a while – all about the orphanage and how glad she was she would get her own bed and that they would have a place to take real baths now, though some children made faces about the baths – before one of the merchants came to take some of the children to a tent so they could discuss what the orphanage had been like from eyewitnesses, tiny though they were.

At this point Kat was eating a piece of Candyfruit from Timbyr. "You don't mind it?"

"Mind what?"

"Lisssa's scales. Some cats hate the feel of scales. You're nice to her." Kat took another hearty bite and Lion-O shut his eyes, hoping to stave off any future headaches.

"Not at all. Kids are kids. She's a sweet girl. What happened to her parents?"

"Dunno. She was traveling with her dad when he was killed by bandits and she was too little to say where her mom was. She's probably dead somewhere too, or in a city far away." Kit's words were not unsympathetic but honest and lacked any outrage. "We like her; our parents always said outsides don't matter, it's inside. Besides, we've met lots of good lizardmen and women, so we don't believe they're all bad like some cats say."

Lion-O smiled, eyes still shut. "I agree. I just hope the others catch Hiss quickly."

"They'll have a lot of places to look," Kat said doubtfully. "It might take a while. All the mud holes are marked but it's hard to get around them. That is, if she even went that way…"

Something outside fell and Lion-O opened one eye. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Might've been Ylva. She's a fox but you'd never know it. She's kinda clumsy." Kit got to her feet and crept out the opening. "Hello? Guys, did someone trip?"

Everything suddenly got very quiet and Lion-O felt the ire of suspense creep up his fur. He took hold of the Sword of Omens and lifted his head, testing his ability to stand. He could now; the salve was working. Kit ducked back inside and looked perturbed. "The others were talking, but now they're not."

So they too had noticed the unearthly quiet. Lion-O opened the tent flap and stepped outside. The noon sun was warm, comforting, but the merchant noise was gone. There had been three around before while the others went to help search and tend to the orphanage's repairs.

Lion-O's stomach tightened and he put his fingers to his mouth. This was partly out of nerves and partly out of nausea, but he perked his ears and turned, scanning the area slowly so as not to miss anything. "Guys, stay in the tent. Don't come out."

"But-!"

"No." He prowled silently through the tents and posts, remembering where the children had been gathered. Surely the merchants wouldn't have left them?

"…Told them? I know you were talking to one of them my little maggots."

Lion-O froze just outside the flap. It was a large tent, pitched to hold dozens of children, but that was not a child's voice. He hadn't heard Hiss speak but only she could have spoken so cruelly to these children.

He peered inside and blinked. The children were all packed into the corner of the tent, sitting on their knees with numb, white faces. And in front of them, pacing in the room meant for them to rest in, was a great white and brown beast. It was like Talbot when his veins had been coursing with the drug, striding back and forth. She was as tall at the shoulder as he was and he caught a glimpse of her boxy, savage face; it was animal, fanged, and the cunning glint in her eyes was a shard of ice. Her four legs prowled in silence.

"You know you never get away from me my maggots. I'm strong and everywhere, in every little breath you take. I know when you take a step, when you break the rules. Every little thing. I told you I'd know if you ever told anyone. 'Running off is bad' I said, but did you listen? No. And I was kind. I took you back in as long as you didn't tell anyone. That's more than your parents did, dumping you on my doorstep and running as fast as they could. Well now my niceness has reached an end. First I'll deal with the children that told about the orphanage, and then I'll deal with those twins."

She could speak, and Lion-O bared his teeth silently. This witch was pouring venom into their ears and hearts, and the blank faces said they'd heard this sort of thing often. But never from the mouth of a monster that was as ugly and savage on the outside as she was inside. She was a Mutant if she could speak and think while using the drug, and therefore she was strong.

"Lisssa, you tell me…did you talk to the cats that locked me up? Don't even think of lying." The hot breath whisked over the lizard girl's face and she began to cry, terror choking her. Lion-O held out the Sword, arm cutting a cold angle.

"Cowardly beast. You've frightened those children for the last time." He stood in clear view now and Hiss jerked her head up, face twisting in anger. The children suddenly looked hopeful, eyes bright, and Lion-O watched the monster pace out of the tent, big paws shockingly silent in the earth. Behind her were three merchants, all unconscious and one bleeding on the floor. So that was why they hadn't heard anything.

"Well now. You're one of those cats, aren't you? You ruined my business, my livelihood, and my reputation." She strode softly around him and he shifted to keep her visible, even if it was out of the corner of his eye.

"Not really. Everyone knew you were vile. They just needed a weak place to exploit, demon." Keep between the children and the beast. He shifted so her attention was on him, not them. Could he stop a full blown Mutant when he was injured? On his own? It was unlikely. His head throbbed as if to assure him of this.

"Lion-O?" He whirled around, seeing his own reflection in two sets of glassy green eyes. Then they shifted to the four-legged Hiss and their mouths dropped open in awed terror. Hiss looked at them and grimaced in violent happiness.

"Just the kittens I wanted to see."

Lion-O knew she was going to jump for the kittens by the tightening of her legs and the tendons that traced through her shoulders and back. He hurled himself toward her, slicing at her and feeling the blade bite into the thick hide. Hiss bellowed and reared, swiping at him with strokes so fast they burned. Lion-O put up the sword to block the blows and her claws clattered against it.

"Kids! Get out of here! Now!" He freed the Sword of Omens and charged again, spinning to fuel the sword's damage. Hiss drew back just in time and only a little fleck of blood sprayed across the metal. Behind the smell of hair and sweat lurked quiet sounds – breathing from the huge lungs, tiny footfalls as the kittens and cubs and hatchlings and whatever else there were of the children fleeing, breaking off into tiny groups. This pleased him; even a swift Mutant would not be able to catch them all if they splintered.

Hiss snapped at him and he felt saliva flecking across his fur. It was hot and slimy, but he ignored it, backing up until he felt a tent peg against his calf. Then he rolled out of the way as she pounced, stumbling into the tent and entangling in the cloth as it crumpled. She screeched, rolling and thrashing to find the exit.

Lion-O did not know this. His roll had been a bad move, for he'd been jostled and his head was suddenly bursting with pain, vision sputtering into gray fireworks. Falling to his side, Lion-O tried opening and closing his eyes several times. It didn't work and a jolt of childish fear struck him. What if he never saw again?

Well, considering Hiss would probably find her way out and kill him in less than twenty seconds, that might not be very long. Tightening his grip on the hilt, Lion-O forced himself into a sitting position. "Kat? Kit?"

He heard the shuffle of feet and the rasp of fur. Two sets of paws pulled at his arms. "Lion-O, come on! She'll get out soon!"

Standing was a wobbly endeavor and he forced himself not to trip. He'd been trained to operate without sight before, but his inner ear didn't want to stabilize. "Guys, you need to go find Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro. Tell them what's happening. I'll try to keep her busy."

"Says the guy who can't see right now! You almost walked into a tent!" Kit pulled at his arm and led him around what must have been said tent. "You'll get killed!"

"Hiss wants you two. She'll kill you both." Lion-O knew this like he knew Hiss was tearing through the fabric that had enveloped her. "If only Slithe hadn't crushed the antimutagen…"

He felt Kat stiffen. "Sis! You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Their voices suddenly dropped and Lion-O pushed at their shoulders. "Guys, go! Go now! I'll be fine, I'll figure something out."

One vanished from his side but the other grimly held his wrist, leading him. Kat was with him, careful feet picking through the muck. "Kit will be back, don't you worry!"

The faithfulness of this was touching, even as he heard the heavy fall of paws coming after them. "Kat…"

"Hey, you tried to help us! We'll help you guys! That woman's evil, and we'd both rather die that have her lock us up in that orphanage again!" Kat's hair brushed his arm. "She's watching us."

The knowledge that she was lingering, waiting to charge, was the worst part. She could pounce at any moment, and her eyes on them was like being in the eyes of an archer with an arrow nocked. Lion-O tried to situate himself so he was between Wilykat and the monster but Kat would have none of it. He suddenly stopped and pushed Lion-O. "Sit there and stay quiet!" Lion-O protested but he was too late; feeling around he detected a tent flap but that was all. Kat was gone, sprinting. "Over here you witch!" Kat's voice was high, frightened, and Hiss's roar made Lion-O heart stop. But even after the sound of her weight hitting the ground he heard the scamper of swift, clever feet. She'd missed. Lion-O clutched the tent flap and forced his eyes to shut and stay that way. Perhaps if he rested his eyes his vision would return. With his other hand he held the Sword of Omens.

Please, please, he thought wildly, don't let Kat get hurt, Creator hear my plea, don't let Kat get hurt-

Another crash – somebody's tent had just been knocked down. Lion-O's ears perked until they ached, and again he heard the scamper of clawed feet. She'd missed again.

Torn between two urges, Lion-O clenched his fists and whipped his tail. If he attracted her attention, she might come after him and there'd be no way to avoid her. If he stayed silent, Wilykat might be killed and the thought of a child dying for his sake was too big and wide and agonizing to even think about.

But if Lion-O was killed, who would complete the mission? It had to be someone of his lineage-

More crashing and maniacal kitten laughter. "You're too slow, Hiss!" The beast made a whining noise and Lion-O wondered what had happened. Had she stubbed a paw? Gouged herself on a tent peg? "That's what you get!"

"I'll rip your head off. If I'm going to prison, I'm going with a belly full of kitten meat." She was angry, and the Mutation was making her madder. Cannibalism was definitely within the realm of possibility. Lion-O couldn't help but wonder where Kit had gone. Did she run for help? Should he try to reach the merchants? Or should he stay here and listen for the sound of a child being torn to pieces?

Kat screamed and Lion-O gripped the blade, opening his eyes. Blurry, but behind the teary film he saw a white blotch mixed with brown bearing down on a wiggling form. Lion-O got up and sprinted forward when the paw pressed down, pinning Kat, and pierced the meaty side and driving the blade in deep.

He missed the vitals but the creature screamed and he felt sticky heat drip down his hands. Lion-O pulled the blade free – it was a searing red – and Hiss buckled slightly. Lion-O grabbed Kat's arm and pulled him along, towing him past several tents before Kat managed to gain his feet. "Thanks!" he panted.

Lion-O would have said something else but a weight hit him in the back and he pushed Kat away before his face smashed into the soft, warm earth. He pushed himself to his elbows, spitting out soil, and a cloud of breath drifted over his hair, and thick paws pressed down on either side of his torso. A muzzle brushed the back of his neck, tickling the nape, and Lion-O realized Hiss was going to tear into his spine or pull his head off. The Sword of Omens was trapped underneath him at an angle, and her weight was crushing him.

"First you. Then them. Maggots."

Hiss's mouth opened wide and he felt the soft, wet tongue resting hot as fire on his neck. Then Hiss stiffened, lifting her head. Lion-O nearly broke his neck turning to look up at her. Her eyes were glazed and her brows loosened. Her knees buckled and she flopped over him, senseless.

Lion-O grunted, trying to push her off. The pressure was one more pain to his head but he heard Wilykat heaving and panting as he tried to roll the beast away. Hiss shifted a few inches and Lion-O crawled free, putting the Sword of Omens away. "What happened?"

"That purple stuff in the tank was the antimutagen right? Because if not I totally might have just poisoned her." Wilykit popped out from around Hiss, skirting the body with shy, nervous motions.

Resting on his knees and palms, Lion-O stared at her and then looked to Hiss. The bulky frame was starting to shrink, pulling down into a cat body. The bones seemed to creak and implode, muzzle shortening and fur smoothing. After a few moments the beast had become the sour-faced woman again, quite naked. Out of her rump stuck a needle and empty canister, falling free as she shrank to her original size at last. Lion-O shook his head slightly.

"I guess we owe you guys twice, huh?"

Wilykit grinned and sat down, and Wilykat flopped into his lap. "If you say so. I'm just gonna lay here if that's okay. I'm kind of dizzy."

Lion-O absently stroked Kat's hair and only looked up when he heard the footsteps of a wolf. Glancing up, he waved at Timbyr, whose jaw hung low. Realizing the devastation – Hiss had smashed several tents and there were prints and claw marks everywhere – Lion-O gave him a sheepish grin. "I don't suppose we could get some more bandages could we?"

* * *

"Okay, we're never leaving you alone again. Ever. Until this journey's over, anyway."

Cheetara moved with swift, angry motions as she tied the kittens' various little cuts in clean gauze. This was directed at Lion-O though, who was already bound like a mummy in strips and loops of tight cloth. "We come back thinking Hiss has already hightailed it and what do we find? Half the town smashed and a bunch of kids dancing around because she's been stabbed and chained. Not to mention you lot in the middle of the mob, barely conscious."

Lisssa giggled. She had apparently decided that Lion-O was her hero and had been following him ever since Hiss had been arrested and the kids had been informed she'd never again harm or threaten any of them. She was sitting in his lap and hugged his side with tiny arms. Lion-O stroked the shimmering scales on her head. Cheetara reflected that Lisssa was a sweetie and hoped somebody with a good heart would be found to look after the children.

Because if not, she'd personally deal with it. It wouldn't take her long to run back and forth and make sure this town was getting its act together.

Kat winced. "That bandage is kind of tight." She loosened it and her hands moved a little more gently. His head had been bandaged with a strip at a rakish angle around his hair. He touched it and said, "Do I look cool?"

Cheetara smacked his hand away from the bandage with the force of a tuft of dandelion fluff. Then she glanced up and saw Tygra enter the tent looking tired.

"I've been running all over today, and I'm sitting down now. None of you are telling me otherwise." He sat down beside Lion-O, leaving a few awkward inches between himself and Lisssa. "Hi. I think I can still see some of your fur."

"Not for lack of trying on Cheetara's part." Lion-O shifted to free his tail from a loop of gauze. The girl tried to grab the red tuft and he bounced it out of reach like a toy and she kept trying for it. "How'd the questioning go?"

"Nowhere so far. Hiss won't talk. She knows she's going to prison and she'd be better off spilling to Imperial officials. If she knows anything, we're not going to be the ones she tells." Tygra made a face. "They've been searching the orphanage and found Mutation canisters in a box buried in the earth floor of the cellar. Very clever. That's how she used one to break out."

"No names or locations?" Lion-O asked.

"Nope. Just some colorful language. And spit. She spits with the aim of a camel. We found a chip on her but she says everyone has one, even traders."

Lion-O stood up and touched the back of his head thoughtfully. Dyre had fixed it up again, much more securely, and with another herb. This one was working very well, and both wolves assured him the vision issue would leave as the wound healed. "Let's see if I can't pester her into telling us anything more."

Cheetara finished bandaging the kids and they both got up, scurrying after Lion-O. "Are you sure you want to see her?" Cheetara asked. They paused and Lion-O waited as they chafed their feet on the ground in unease. Lisssa shook her head and Cheetara picked her up and sent her off to find one of the merchant's wives. The woman was in a connecting tent and began talking to her in some hissing language.

"Yeah. We want to know some stuff too." Kat's voice was lower than usual and Kit solemnly took his hand. Cheetara brushed her fingers against the bandages on Kat's shoulder – a few scratches, nothing more – and walked behind them. Tygra led them to the tent where Hiss was being kept and held the flap for them. He had no intention of talking to the witch again.

Cheetara's fur bristled when she saw Hiss sitting on the ground, eyes coldly following their entry. She wasn't naked now, dressed in sackcloth just like the kittens were. The justice of this was good and hearty, and it made her smile. Dyre was on one side of her and Timbyr on the other. A female wolf sat with them as well, brown and dusty. Lion-O sat on the ground in front of Hiss and Cheetara noticed her chains at last; they were on her wrists and ankles, but they weren't too heavy. She had no way of reaching Mutation so they didn't have to be. "Hello, Hissteria."

She spat at him. Lion-O didn't react. "I was hoping you'd be willing to talk to us about the Mutation trade at least a little. You don't have any reason to help those that will undoubtedly abandon you."

The kittens hovered by Cheetara and Hiss turned her head to look at them. Her brown and white hair was limp and hung in dirty locks around her chin. "Kat and Kit…you'll get what's coming to you someday, mark my words. Your nasty nosiness is going to get you gutted."

Lion-O growled, a low, lion noise. Cheetara's claws tapped against her staff but knew she could not fight an unarmed opponent. "You know you're making the only people that might be able to help you in your current situation angry."

"Who? The kittens or you?" Hiss laughed. "I won't squeal. Not until the Imperial Prison. They'll appreciate any scrap I can give them."

Lion-O's eyebrows rose. "So you don't care what happens to the other members of the trade?"

"You're jesting dear. Care about them? We dislike each other quite completely. It's the money we're loyal to." Her eyes narrowed. "I have no qualms about selling them out, but you'll never hear a bit of it. You can wander blindly into their rings for all I care. They'll be prepared for anyone like you."

Cheetara scowled and straightened. The idea that anyone could be prepared for her was somewhat insulting. You didn't prepare for lightning; it struck you dead before you had a chance to wonder what had happened. Lion-O tilted his head and suddenly a crooked grin marked his mouth. "Yes, I'm sure. And they'll be prepared to send agents after you, won't they? I understand. You want to be in a big, safe Imperial prison before you tell on the others because you know they'll be after you."

Hiss's jaw tightened in a grimace. "…You're not so dumb as you look."

"Even if you're a cat, you know they won't let you off the hook. Especially not since we know you're a Mutant. And these Mutation traders will know very quickly that you've been arrested, so they'll intercept you on the way to the Imperial City if there's nothing to distract them. You're in a dangerous position, Miss Hiss."

Lion-O's nonchalant speech made Cheetara sense a crafty plan being formed. Hiss was watching him without a lofty expression, wrists crossed in her lap. "Well then. What do you recommend, boy?"

"Tell us about these guys so they'll be focused on us. Once you tell us what you know they'll have moving targets to deal with. I bet you don't know too much about the trade rings or you'd be higher up. If we show up and start messing things up for them and learning all their secrets, they'd be much more interested in getting rid of us than worrying about you. We'll be free to pursue them after all, unlike yourself."

Hiss gave him a strange look. "You're suggesting I tell you what I know so you'll go running around causing trouble? What would keep them from sending someone after me for squealing, even if they're focused on you?"

Lion-O smirked. "They'll worry more about us, Hiss. We've got another enemy in the Mutation trade already, an Alliance general. He knows who's small fry and who's not."

Her face did not redden in anger at this slight because surprise took its place. "The lizard that was destroying the town?"

"General Slithe. He escaped. And you can be sure he wants revenge on us for humiliating him." Cheetara couldn't help but smile when Hiss's jaw dropped. "And if you send us in the right direction, they'll be too worried about the group that managed to fend off Slithe to worry about some two-bit Mutation mineral peddling. By the time they think about you, you'll be safe in a cell, probably moved to a secret location."

Hiss seemed to consider this and Cheetara wondered at Lion-O's cunning. He was smart enough, certainly, but this was a little different from how he usually seemed. Then again, he was a page boy, a servant of the politicians of the empire. He was probably used to this kind of dealing. "And you can make this happen? I don't believe you."

Lion-O nodded. "I can. I'm from the Imperial City. No one terribly important, but the people there trust their own. Besides, they know they'll have to keep you somewhere secure. Or you could just let us wander randomly around the wilderness until they forget about us and then they'll be sure to come after you." He shrugged. "Whatever you like."

Her face paled ever so slightly. "I suppose…it can't put me at any more risk to have you indebted to me. The agreements assure us that the other members of the trade will do us in if we're arrested to ensure the secrecy of the ring. Then they chip us. They're not supposed to be easy to remove, but your tiger did it well enough. It doesn't matter if we swear on our mothers that we won't squeal. Of course, if you find out enough to get to that point, you either enter the trade or die anyway."

"Figures. No honor among thieves," Cheetara muttered.

Hiss ignored this and Cheetara watched Lion-O for his reaction. "You might want to take the kittens out," he said suddenly. Both looked outraged and his expression darkened. "There are some things you guys don't need to be involved in. I'm not saying you aren't brave enough. I just don't want you to be in even more danger."

"Oh, let them stay. Slithe will be after them if they helped humiliate them." She gave them a sneer. "Besides, it's because of Mutation that they're orphans in the first place if you ask me."

The kittens straightened. Lion-O's attention fixed on the woman. "What do you know about Tropo?" he asked quietly, and there was hardness to his eyes that hadn't been there before.

She entertained this question for a moment before saying, "You didn't hear this from me. But I suppose it doesn't damn me any more than being arrested in the first place. Once a year, in Tropo, I've heard that the higher ups of the trade meet in secret. Not all of them all at once you understand; that'd be too foolish. But the important people – or their representatives – meet to negotiate and swap information. Of course, it has to take place at a time when there are plenty of strangers around so they won't be too noticeable."

Kit looked at Kat. "The convention?"

"Of course. Traders of all kinds come from all over for the market convention. Whenever it takes place, the Mutation convention can't be far off." Hiss adjusted her manacles and Lion-O frowned.

"You sound remarkably uncertain about all this," he said.

"As you said, I'm a two-bit mineral peddler. I've never attended. I only know what my fellows knew." Hiss looked crafty, mouth crooked. "I also believe that it's a time when they find…test subjects for their Mutation. They transform them and lock them up."

Lion-O's hackles rose and Cheetara's claws closed into a fist. "What? If any traders find out about us we have to deal with them. And we need to see how they're affected by the drug depending on their species, their size, their dosage…it's how we've refined the drug." Hiss shrugged. "I can't be sure if this is true, but I hear one of the heads is having them all brought north. Don't quote me on that. But if they do, they're never seen again. Either they're set loose to terrorize cities or…something."

Cheetara wished she could have covered the kittens' ears because when they heard that Kit shrank against Cheetara's hip and Kat just…withered. She held both of them to her sides, feeling more protective than she ever had. The hopeless way Kit hid her face in Cheetara's hair made her heart burn with rage, and she glared at Hiss's smirk. "You're demons, the lot of you. I fear for you when the Creator's reckoning comes."

The woman snorted but Lion-O's face was even. "You killed Leofa's parents too, didn't you? So you could get ahold of the orphanage building and use it for trade and keep trespassers away."

She smiled and didn't answer. Dyre growled low in his throat. "You'll find that even if that happened, a cat killing a pair of dogs is not quite so bad as the crime of being involved in the Mutation trade."

"Of course not," Lion-O said, voice thick with disgust. He stood up and said, "I get the feeling I'll see you again, and you won't like it when I do. But for now, I'm content to know that Tropo will have at least a few people linked to the greater trade."

Cheetara led the children out into the light of the evening, orange and purple, mixing like tropical juice. Neither kitten had released her and her chest was heaving, heart hammering. She wanted to go back in there and beat the hide off that terrible woman. She could have skinned her alive with her bare claws-

"Maybe they're alive. Maybe they're locked up somewhere, or sick." Kit said this so softly that Cheetara nearly missed it.

"Maybe. There's no way to know," she said, forcing her heart to slow down. Lion-O was behind them and he put a hand on Kat's head.

"I meant what I said. We'll look for your parents when we go to Tropo. Hiss just wanted to hurt you, and she has no way of knowing which traders were taken and which ones weren't."

Kat didn't look up. "But they haven't come back. If they were okay they would have come to find us. They'd never abandon us…would they?"

The last two words seemed to echo on the edge of a chasm, and Cheetara knew that Hiss had succeeded in doing the one thing she had left to her; she'd planted a seed of doubt in previously unshakable faith. This question made Cheetara duck down and clutch them both close in a tight, warm hug. "No. From everything you've told me, they were wonderful parents that love you. Parents like that…don't just abandon their kids."

She didn't quite know why this made her eyes burn. Was it because she was adopted and might have been tossed aside like garbage herself? Cheetara considered what it would have been like to be raised by parents that didn't want her and thanked the Creator fiercely for Sai and Yamese. But these kids, abandoned? No.

Something told her this, faint as a whisper and solid as a dying heartbeat. Even if every other child had been abandoned by their birth parents, these two had not. "They always came back before, didn't they?"

"Yeah." Kit was wiping her face. "And they brought us presents every time, and gave us bunches of hugs and kisses. And they would tell us lots of stories and…and everything."

Lion-O smiled. "That kind of parent would never leave their kids. I just don't believe it."

The trudge of Panthro approaching made them stand up. "So. Are we setting out tonight or do you guys want to vacation here for a week or two?"

"We got a little information about Tropo. I just want to know that the orphanage and the kids will be taken care of and say goodbye," Lion-O said.

"Oh, well…I'm going to be the new caretaker, I think." Timbyr was exiting the tent and was carrying a little knapsack. "I'm tired of the trading game, and I want to settle down and do some good. We owe it to the children to make sure their home is safe and clean at least, and…well, I've talked to a few of those kids. I think Leofa's brothers are getting attached to me." He grinned, a happy, doggy smile. "My brother will help us fix up the orphanage. I assure you my friends, these children will not want for love, food, or safety as long as we're around. And the merchants will host a meeting once a month to make sure the children are receiving all the aid, just to be sure."

Cheetara beamed at him. "You two are really decent, you know that? Thank you." Lion-O too seemed pleased and Tygra – who had been listening by the opening – patted each kitten on the back.

"See guys? It'll get better around here. And we'll search high and low for any mention of your parents. Won't we?" he added, giving Panthro a dark look.

The panther grunted. "If they're involved in any of this I daresay we'll run across some information."

Neither kitten seemed cheered. Even so, they wanted to walk the cats back to the ThunderTank after they said goodbye to all the children. Cheetara's heart warmed to see that Kit wanted to walk right by her and hold her hand, and this warming caused pain in a way. They would be all right with Timbyr; she had seen enough of him to know that he and Dyre were good sorts, and anything would be an improvement over Hiss. The sound of construction starting on the orphanage was a cheerful clip in the air, and she thought it would do Timbyr good to settle down, away from the thieves that chased traders and caravans.

Leofa in particular hugged them with breathless tears. "Thank you. The past three years she's kept us in the dark, controlling us with fear. Now things will finally be better." Even Tygra, uncomfortable as he was with other species, accepted her hugs.

"We can never apologize enough for standing there with suspicions and never doing anything," one merchant murmured. But the children were too glad to know they would be safe to hold grudges, at least for now.

This was only the beginning. These kids would need healing. The whole town would. But Cheetara watched Timbyr walk around with the wolf pups attached to his legs and the other merchants offering to pitch in and help house the children until the orphanage was complete, and she decided that there was hope for them yet. She resolved to pray every night for Rana Village, and all of its vices.

They'd done all they could for now.

And so it was, standing by the tank, that Cheetara reluctantly released her hold on Wilykit's hand. "You two have done so much already. I hate to ask you to do more, but you have to stay here and be patient," she said, looking from the girl to the boy.

Their faces looked eerily alike as their mouths set at the same time. "We still want to go with you guys."

Tygra scratched the back of his head and Lion-O sighed. Panthro just shook his head. "We told you no."

"Listen. Just listen." Kat sounded so adult that he seemed to have aged ten years.

"We've had to wonder for a whole year where our parents are. They might be dead, or hungry, or locked up, or even turned into monsters. We don't know. And that's the worst part." Kit too sounded old and her eyes were sharp, hands balled into fists. "We need to know, even if they're gone. We can't keep wondering forever. We'll both go crazy."

Cheetara found herself looking to Lion-O. He returned her gaze uneasily, and the kittens turned to him.

"We gotta know. If our parents are dead…or if they did abandon us…then we've gotta know the truth either way. As long as we finally know what the truth is, we'll be okay." Kat stared up at him with set, fierce eyes and Cheetara noticed that Lion-O was giving him the same look he'd given her and Tygra before, when he'd been trying to decide how much to tell them.

And again she felt strange and glanced at the Sword of Omens. It was glowing. "Lion-O," she murmured. He examined the sword and rubbed his thumb over the jewel in the hilt. It seemed to thrum and Cheetara felt curiously warm at the reflection of its light in his eyes.

"You see it too?" he asked softly. She nodded and the kittens gave him a weird look.

"See what? It's a sword." Lion-O checked Panthro's face and then Tygra's. They both looked as bewildered as the kittens. Cheetara shook her head; missing that light would have been impossible for her.

"It's glowing. Cheetara and I can both see it. It did the same thing when…"

Lion-O stopped and raised the blade so the jewel was at eye level. "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight," he whispered. Panthro looked startled and the light seemed to intensify. Cheetara squinted in the brightness but Tygra seemed utterly blind to the light, as did the kittens. Panthro just stared at Lion-O, as if what he'd said had been an exotic curse.

Lion-O gazed at nothing but the stone for a long minute. Then he put the Sword of Omens down and wearily slid it into the gauntlet, hiding it under his cloak. He sighed through his nose and his eyelids drooped.

"You can come with us. But you have to promise you won't jump into battle and you'll follow orders. Understand?"

The kittens' jaws dropped and their tails puffed. "What?" Panthro said, disbelieving. Even Tygra looked stunned.

And then the kittens were screaming with laughter, holding each other's hands and jumping in a circle. "We're going to Tropo! We're going to Tropo! We're gonna find Mommy and Daddy!"

Panthro grabbed Lion-O's shoulder and hissed, "What are you thinking!? These kids can't come with us, they'll be killed!"

Lion-O looked ready to say something but was cut off by tiny arms crushing his middle. "Thank you thank you thank you! You're the nicest person ever! We'll be good, we promise! And we'll help clean up and cook and keep watch and everything!" Wilykat hugged him tighter and practically clung to his leg while Wilykit held on to his wrist and kissed his hand. Embarrassed – and suddenly tired – Lion-O managed to wriggle free and crouched.

"I need to tell you something." They stopped, panting and breathless, instantly alert. "I saw a vision from the Sword of Omens with you guys traveling with us. I'm willing to let you come to Tropo with us. If we can't find your parents, we'll have to take you somewhere safe while we go onward. Are there any people near there that would be willing to look after you?"

Kit shrugged. "We might have some relatives around there. Maybe. I don't know. We can find our way."

Lion-O looked haggard. "I guess we'll deal with that when we come to it. But I'm very serious; we're going to a dangerous place. If I order you guys to run away and escape, you need to do it without asking why. Do you understand me?"

They nodded eagerly. Lion-O rubbed the back of his head as he straightened up. "I must be stark raving mad."

Cheetara couldn't help but feel pleased when the kittens sprinted back into town, toting a note Lion-O wrote to avoid having to run back into town himself. Panthro watched them vanish and his lips barely moved. "What?" she asked.

"I said, 'You shouldn't have told them their parents didn't abandon them.'" He didn't turn his head, gray eyes following the dots that were the kittens into town.

"Why not?"

"Because you don't know if they did or didn't. Maybe they left them here for their own good." He was obviously angry but Cheetara sensed that it wasn't directed at her. It was more for Lion-O, and…maybe someone else? "Heck, maybe their parents wanted to get in on the Mutation trade and didn't want to risk their kids."

This thought was so sickening that Cheetara opened her mouth and nothing came out. She shut it and looked away, and there was silence until the patter of footsteps on the path.

It only took a few minutes for them to return, carrying a dirty sack apiece that probably held all their belongings in the world. "We told Timbyr and he said he guessed we could come! Come on, come on! We need to go now!"

"Actually he said, 'What, well, I don't know, but I guess-' but that's pretty close," Kit explained. "We brought our bed blankets, we're used to sleeping on the ground, so let's go!" Then they threw their bags into the seats and climbed in.

Panthro took a step forward and looked sideways at Lion-O. "…If those kids are killed, their blood is on your hands." Lion-O simply nodded. Panthro's arms tensed and she saw tendons tighten under his skin. His tattoo stretched with it. "This is a fool thing to do. You expect me to believe the wise and powerful Sword of Omens really wants these little ones along?"

"It does."

"I don't believe it. I think you said that because you fell for their sob story. This ain't safe, and kids don't belong out here." Panthro's hackles were on end and his fists were tight. "It's just a shame is all. If that Sword had any sense, it'd tell you-"

"It tells me what it tells me." Lion-O's voice was suddenly different, lower, and Cheetara's fur prickled with the weight of it. Panthro stopped talking and Lion-O looked at him with such a quiet, painful light in his eyes that he didn't say anything else. "Either you trust the Sword of Omens and my judgment or you don't. If you don't want to continue with me you don't have to. But it meant you to come as well, Panthro. You know that."

Cheetara couldn't place what was so strange about his voice. It was just Lion-O, and his face was the same as ever, but something so searing and awful and rich radiated from him – and the Sword –that it nearly gave her a headache. And then it stopped and Lion-O sighed, looking tired again. "Come on. We need to get into the forest before three days have passed to keep on schedule, and we've got the rations to last that long if we hunt along the way. We have to make it through the mountain passes before the ice comes through."

With that he headed toward the Tank and put the supplies he'd been carrying away. Cheetara followed him with her eyes. Panthro simply got into the driver's seat and waited, staring straight ahead with an unreadable frown on his face.

"…There's something weird about Lion-O," Tygra said at last.

Cheetara nodded. Then she climbed into the ThunderTank beside Lion-O. His head leaned back against the seat and his eyes were shut, and the kittens were seated on his other side, unaware of what had just happened.

After they were all in the engine roared and they sped off in a clumpy roll of wet dust, leaving Rana Village far behind.

* * *

 **End of Episode 4**


	5. Chapter 5

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 5**

 **A Snarf Called Snarf**

* * *

"I always imagined a forest to be a really colorful, magical place. This just smells like mushrooms." Kit sniffed the air again. "And some flowers. And…poo."

"Real forests are dark, dangerous places." Panthro picked her up by the back of her tunic and put her down three feet to the right so he could get into the trunk of the Thundertank. "What were you expecting, unicorns and singing critters?"

True it was beautiful, in its own rich, earthy, deep way. The branches and trees and vines grew wild and untamed, soil soft and nearly black with nutrients and dead leaves enriching it. But there were no careless tropical blooms here, only a few buds where sunlight forced itself through the boughs above. And there was a slight odor of animal excrement mixing with the soil here. The only thing separating where they stood from the rest of the forest was the slightest clearing for a thin, jumbled path that might have once been a road and since been mostly abandoned.

"I don't know. Something other than leaves and poo." She smiled up at him. "I know you're nice on the inside Panthro. You can stop pretending to be mean whenever you want." She managed to hug his thick forearm and then skipped off before he could free himself of his own volition.

Cheetara watched this with a wicked grin. "I like these kids more and more every day."

Lion-O was helping Kat set out his blanket on the ground. When Cheetara said this he shook his head. "He'll come around, but the less we antagonize him the better he'll do." Even so his mouth was set in a smile as Wilykit flounced around, examining their campsite.

Tygra was up in a tree, scanning the area from a high, thick branch. "Nothing nearby. I think we haven't made it past the border yet. Five, six days before we hit the river you think?"

"Sounds about right. If we find the right path." Panthro had taken to ignoring everyone for the most part, speaking only when forced to by a direct question by any member of the group. Tygra was the exception; he seemed to be on better terms with him. Lion-O watched Tygra gracefully descend the tree and brush his breeches off.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about this forest, would you?" When Tygra shook his head Lion-O pulled the older map out of his cloak and unfurled it. "Well, the legend map has these funny little creatures drawn by its symbol. I was wondering if anyone might have heard any legends about it." Here he glanced hopefully at Panthro, who straightened with his arms full of their campsite supplies.

"Nope. Nothing. Might be some indigenous species the mapmaker saw." He glanced at the image and shrugged. "Probably a rodent." He continued setting up camp and Lion-O examined the four-legged drawing and tried not to feel frazzled.

The kittens had been as good as their word so far, which was rather astonishing; after their big meal of dumplings they exercised care with the rations, and they actually knew different herbs and plants in the mud lands and even the plains that could be eaten or used to soothe stomach aches. "Our parents used to tell us all about the stuff we saw. We were going to go into the forest when we were older, but they left before we ever got to."

In addition to this they offered to keep watch. Panthro did not trust them to do this, but they took it with grace and tried to win his affection by doing odd jobs. He had them collect firewood and bury the ashes in the morning. They also had to help pitch the tents on chilly nights, and even help clean the Thundertank of the mud it had garnered. Cheetara had bristled –he was trying to make it hard for them just like he'd been trying to do for her – but Tygra and Lion-O both told her not to interfere.

Lion-O in particular was adamant. "He's trying to see if they're really going to stick it out. Watch them. He's mad but he won't have them do anything too dangerous or difficult. They're safe with him."

For two days she did watch and she was surprised to see that he was right; when Wilykat had brought back an armful of firewood, Panthro took one look at it and grabbed it. Something had jumped out – a stinging bug of some kind – and he'd killed it by squashing it when Kat yelped. The stinger had embedded in Panthro's palm but he ignored it. He told Kat to help Lion-O with dinner and headed off without another word. Another time Kit fell and hurt her wrist. It was only a twinge but Panthro had let her cry and then – gruffly – picked a pretty flower and gave it to her as if to shut her up. But Cheetara had seen concern on that grumpy face.

So she'd warmed toward by half of a degree. He was brusque and cold, but she was beginning to see little glimmers of something almost in the realm of caring behind the stone.

Kat and Kit peered at the map, Lion-O lowering it so they could see. "So we're here, right?" Kit asked, pointing to a marked spot.

"No, that's where we need to get to so we can follow the river. We're over here." Lion-O lifted her hand and moved it so her finger was over their position. She frowned.

"Aw. So we're not there yet?"

"Not by a long shot, little lady. But we're getting there." He folded up the map and sniffed. "Cheetara, are we okay on dried meat?"

"Yeah, we've got two days' worth after this." She was stirring the pot and sprinkled a few more hunks of meat into the brew. "And I mixed in terroots for substance. It might be a little strong, but…"

She sipped from the spoon and wiggled her nose. "Tolerable. The bread we brought will help."

"We should probably scout around for anything we can hunt," Tygra said, and Panthro nodded in approval.

"If we can catch something in the morning, we can dry it in the sun or smoke it to preserve the meat. It won't be as good if we keep it in smoke all night, but it'll still do." Panthro looked into the trunk and examined one of the sacks packed neatly into the tank. "We've got salt too, so that'll keep it clean if it's cut a little thicker."

"How about we try hunting tonight? Animals will probably be bedding down after dark." Cheetara listened for a moment, trying to catch any hints of creatures in the underbrush. "I think I could catch something."

"It ain't you catching 'em that I'm worried about. It's how you'll bring down a kill." She gave Panthro a look and he shook his head. "I'm just staying you don't weigh much. Have you ever killed anything before?"

"Well…no. I've seen the farmers do it but that's all." Her face heated up. Still, Panthro didn't look as condescending as he would have before, just considering this as she finished the stew. He pulled out a flat loaf of dry bread wrapped in leaves and began breaking it up for everyone. "I assume the head and neck would be good places to go for?"

"It's a pretty instinctual thing, girl. That staff will do most of the work for you, but I wouldn't get too close. If you went toe to toe with a big animal it could trample you." Panthro didn't even bother looking at the kittens when he added, "And you two are definitely not hunting for meat just yet. I'll show you how to forage for plants in case you get lost."

Both groaned. "But I wanna learn how to hunt," Kat said.

"Plants stay put, and finding meat can be difficult. You've got a better chance of surviving if you know what's poisonous and what isn't. You're doing well in the plains, but the forest is a whole new animal."

Kit tilted her head. "A forest isn't an animal. It's a plant…er, a bunch of plants."

"It's just a saying. Means they're different." Panthro gave each child a piece of bread before handing the rest to Tygra, Lion-O, and Cheetara. "After we eat I guess I'll show you some edible plants. If you're along on this trip, you'd better know how to survive. Contrary to what rookies think, knowing how to get meat isn't anywhere near as important as finding out what plants can sustain you. It takes a lot less energy and time to get stationary food and water, and those are two things you have to conserve when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere."

Lion-O glanced at Cheetara, eyes crinkling with a silent laugh. She grinned at him; Panthro was indeed hiding a kinder nature behind his burly attitude. Concern danced at the edge of his grim mouth and on the edge of his tone. But the kittens did not seem as pleased, though they said nothing in argument as they sat down and started on their dinner. "So…we'll look for berries and stuff?"

"And roots and bugs and herbs." Panthro took a bite and the kittens made faces at each other. "It's better than starving to death out in the wilderness."

"Yeah, I know. I guess I just hoped this trip was going to get adventure-y soon," Kat admitted. Panthro grunted and Tygra ladled out stew for the kids so they wouldn't burn themselves.

"I'll take a boring night camping over adventure if it means we don't have to worry about Slithe," Tygra said. Lion-O appeared ready to say something but paused instead, looking away. "Something wrong?"

Lion-O was looking into the underbrush of the trees and bushes. Settled in a tiny clearing on the path through the forest, the trees did not grow closely together here. There were tangled masses of grass and weeds growing along the roots, but sparse places by them where sunlight never fell through the thick boughs. After a few seconds he looked away. "No…just some little animals I guess. I heard something in there."

"Maybe it's bugs," Kat said. Kit made a face and he put his hands on the ground with bent fingers like great, clawed spiders. "They'll crawl up on you when you sleep and get in your mouth and lay eggs in your stomach. Then they might just crawl out the next day!"

"Ew!" Wilykit clapped her hands to her ears. "You're so gross."

Cheetara couldn't help but glance at Tygra. He looked a little revolted as well, and she smirked; he had a phobia of anything with eight legs that skittered on the ground. It was quite hilarious when she had to kill them before he'd enter a room. Granted that one had been the size of a tea saucer, and Tygra swore it was looking at him when he sprinted out of the bath, and she could kill from a distance with her staff.

Lion-O noticed this amused look and cocked his head but said nothing.

"I think it was probably just some animal that lives in the forest checking out the fire." Disappointed by this dull turn, Kat finally started eating. Kit shuffled on her behind closer to Cheetara before doing the same. Dinner was a quiet affair, all of their stomachs slowly letting their hungry aches fade as they were filled. The sound of critters in the underbrush ceased to perturb them, although Panthro sometimes listened hard to the sounds.

"All right. Come on, we've got an hour before dark. I saw some plants back along the path that we can use for burn treatment, so let's get you kids learning." He got up and both kittens – in spite of their complaining – jumped up and dashed after him. "Come on, you grown ones need to know this sort of thing too."

Lion-O got up with relative grace and after a moment, Cheetara followed. Tygra rolled his eyes. "I've been out in the wilds before."

"Not stranded alone you haven't. Get your can over here." Tygra obeyed while muttering something, added a few sticks to the fire for it to consume. "All right. First let's work on plants, then we'll set a few small traps. It ain't so important that we catch anything right now, but that's why you start early. You don't want to be starving and then have to wait three days to catch something to eat in the middle of the plenty of a forest. Preparation is the name of the game."

Cheetara begrudgingly admitted to herself that Panthro knew his stuff. He picked out seemingly innocuous little buds and berries and informed them that several were poisonous and a few were good for treating infected scratches. Many berries that could be eaten grew in bunches on the forest floor or in bushes, and he took several of them, crushed them, and gave each cat a sample. "Some only teach how to distinguish by color, but that can mess you up. Know the smell, texture, and taste as well. Pay attention to what dumb animals eat and what they avoid; they know the land better than you. Don't get berries confused for lookalikes that could give you stomach poisoning. It's hard to get anywhere when you have to stop and pull down your britches every five minutes."

Some things she'd known from sense alone, such as finding water being highest priority when stranded without supplies. Prey often swam in the lakes and ponds of an area, and a river was ideal to find; if the water was clear, a person could simply follow it, drinking what they needed and fishing for food and gathering plants along the banks. Towns formed along rivers, and following one would inevitably lead to discovering civilization. Panthro showed them grubs living on the underside of rocks – Cheetara made a note to exhaust all other methods before putting one of those wriggling, pale things in her mouth and swallowing – and at the end, as the sunlight went completely, Panthro showed them how to lay small traps with nothing but string and ingenuity.

"It'd catch something small. If something runs through, its head and torso will weigh down the string and it'd grab it around the waist or neck." He fed the string over supple branches and tested it with one of the kittens' hands. Kit put her hand through it and when she pushed down on the noose the branches sprang back and the string tightened around her wrist.

"Wow. It really worked." Kit freed herself and frowned. "I'd feel bad for the animal though."

"Hunting isn't to be done wastefully. If you catch something, you use all of it. Meat, fur, and hide can all be useful, and it's never good to waste any kind of resource. And you never, ever play with a creature you've caught. It's never right to add pain and misery to a creature without cause. It's not justice. Kill it humanely and quickly." Panthro reset the trap and Cheetara crossed her arms, listening to this and feeling her respect for Panthro rise. His pale tattoo seemed to shine and she wondered where he'd gotten it and why. He didn't seem like the sort to approve of body art for flippant reasons. Maybe it was a military insignia or something. He hadn't admitted to being in the military or a guard, but it made sense. Lion-O was on a mission set by nobles, so of course they'd send a soldier to guide and protect him.

At any rate, it was getting dark and the inky sky blurred the leaves of the trees to blots. They returned to camp, reluctantly educated, and Lion-O set up to take the first watch. Cheetara curled up in her bed roll and watched the kittens. Their blankets were so ragged, and so were their clothes…they'd need some new ones. She didn't want Lion-O to have to pay for them though. Cheetara's desire to contribute was needling her brain, trying to figure out how to add to the group. Maybe she could make some; Mama had shown her how to sew before, and she reasoned she could figure out some simple tunics if she could only get ahold of fabric. Certainly she could buy sturdy cloth cheaply. She had to conserve her funds. Her mother had a good eye for sensible fabric…

Mama. Her eyes warmed and she sighed, curling up under her blanket. It had only been about a week, but it seemed so much longer. The trek was already muddling into a bathless, bedless expanse of time, easy to adjust to but a little uncomfortable. Cheetara wondered if her parents were worried. She'd sent a message from Rana Village – one of the merchants had been going to Dera's Run and agreed to transfer the note for her – but they'd had no tech message systems, so it would take a few days. Thinking of her mother's worried, harried face and Daddy's blood pressure, Cheetara resolved to message them as soon as possible again.

The Thundertank had no message system. This struck Cheetara as ridiculous, but Lion-O had explained that it was primarily a weapon and terrain-crosser. To communicate with other tanks was done with headsets worn by the drivers on the battlefield, and the vehicle was already so heavy that to install a message system would have been that much more room that it didn't have. It also didn't have to connect to anything, making it harder to track by enemies.

Honestly, it was a rolling gun, and communication wasn't one of its strong suits. Just like its owner, she reflected with a slight laugh, muffled in the blanket. One of the kittens rolled over and sighed, a sleepy kitten sound. Cheetara finally shut her eyes to try and sleep until her watch duty.

She woke to a strange, scrabbling noise and Lion-O standing up. Lifting her head, Cheetara felt the beginnings of a headache in her temples from the shock of waking so quickly. She shrugged this aside and got up. Lion-O looked at her as she stretched. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe we caught something?" Cheetara felt a mixture of interest and apprehension at this. She had nothing against hunting – it was a way to survive – but she'd never had to kill prey herself. Refusing to look like a cossetted city girl, she started into the forest with her staff at her side. "What about the others?" Lion-O asked.

It was a very faint scratching noise, and the others were all asleep. Cheetara thought about this and prodded Panthro. He grunted and slowly sat up. "What? Lion-O fall asleep?"

"No. Lion-O and I are going to investigate the traps. It sounds like there's something in one. We'll be back."

He raised an eyebrow. "Good choice, not leaving the rest of us without someone watching."

Cheetara accepted this with surprise and even managed to smile. "Thanks. We're not totally hopeless."

Panthro didn't address that. "If it's a baby you can release it. Ain't no point in eating young."

Pleased by this – relieved was actually a better word – Cheetara returned to Lion-O and they set off through the green and dark. Being cats, they were moderately dainty about picking their way through the underbrush, and it was only about ten seconds before they found the trap. The fire was a pleasant orange dot between the branches.

The trap bobbed and they heard something squeal, a tiny cry. Cheetara's heart softened and Lion-O folded aside the large ferns blocking their view. Then they both stared and blinked, not sure what they were seeing.

The little thing couldn't have been much larger than Lion-O's hand with the fingers spread. Red fur covered its body, save for its peach-fuzz underbelly, and bold yellow stripes raced over its back. Soft hair the same color as the stripes grew on its head and its big ears were laid back, flopping over its shoulders. It had a little pink nose and peach-tan fur grew around its mouth in tufts of whiskers. And at the end of its long tail was one more tuft of peachy hair, whipping frantically. And its eyes ware large and dark, shining like polished stones.

Cheetara plopped right down and couldn't help it; she gave an "Aww." It originated somewhere around her heart and ended with her two X-chromosomes. "Look…what in the world is it?"

"I'm not really sure." Lion-O knelt and the creature cried. He hastily backed up. "Guess it likes girls better." He offered his hand to it and it slowly sniffed his knuckles. Lifting his finger, he brushed it under the tiny chin in a gentle move.

"Well, we're letting it go, right? I mean it's obviously some kind of baby." Clucking her tongue, Cheetara dared – foolishly – to scratch behind its ears. It tried swiping at her with teeny claws, but when she murmured and cooed at it, the creature seemed to perk up its ears. "Did you get caught in the trap little guy? Don't worry, we won't hurt you. It wasn't for you. Hang on, let me get it." It was looped around the creature's belly and she loosened it enough to slide the tiny thing out. "There you go. Aw, you're so sweet!"

Ecstatic at being freed, the thing licked her face and purred before hopping down and hurrying off into the dark, jumping over a log and out of sight. Cheetara sighed and stood up. "Maybe hunting's not so easy after all."

Lion-O shook his head. "I don't think that was just any animal. I got a weird feeling from it."

Tilting her head, Cheetara said, "Really? Maybe it was your cuteness receptors exploding."

He smiled. "Maybe. But it seemed to understand the situation pretty well. It knew we were helping."

"Maybe it was trained by someone?" Cheetara asked. "I hope it finds its family all right."

Returning to camp found Panthro sitting, scanning the perimeter of the campsite. "What was it?"

"We don't know. Some kind of little, four-legged animal. It looked like a baby so we let it go." Cheetara sat down and sighed. "I'm already wired, I'll take my shift now."

Lion-O frowned and suddenly took out the old map from his belt. Unfurling it, he said, "Panthro. It looked like this creature." He turned the page around showed them with one claw. Cheetara squinted; it was an old image and slightly faded, but the design was fairly similar to what they'd seen.

"I guess it's really common around here." Panthro lifted his head and listened for something. "There was only one?"

"I think so. It seemed pretty clever." Cheetara leaned against a tree and Panthro frowned. "What?"

"Like someone trained it? It could be a scout or something." All the same Panthro laid back down. "Well, wake me up if you hear anything. That's the point of having someone stand watch."

Lion-O crawled into his bedroll and sighed, watching the underbrush. "I can finish out my shift, Cheetara, if you're still tired."

"Says the guy bundled in his blanket." She waved a hand. "Go on, get some sleep."

He tended to curl up, she noticed. Some people slept straight, some slept in a ball. Lion-O tended to curve in a semi-circle. She smiled when his eyes finally shut and he started snoring. It wasn't anywhere near as loud as Panthro's racket, but his little nose meant he whistled in his sleep. She leaned against the broad tree at her back and listened to the sounds of the group's sleep patterns. Kit mumbled in her sleep, Kat slept on his belly, Panthro snored loud enough to wake the dead, and Tygra's tail rolled and unrolled like a party streamer. Shaking her head, Cheetara gazed up at the few stars she could see in the dark sky.

"…Appalling, filthy, uninhabitable weed-hole."

Cheetara straightened. That wasn't snoring. Taking out her staff again, Cheetara listened for the voice again. It had seemed to drift up above like snow falling from branches.

"I keep telling him, 'Oh, let's just go back up north! Bacteria suffers in the cold! It's much cleaner and you won't have to run that smelly machine all day!' But what does he say? 'Oh no, we need these little germ-sacks. Red Eye says they're perfect laborers and he's made sooo many discoveries with their work! Production is doing well!' I don't know how much longer I can tolerate living in this forest, I swear I'll catch a sickness from one of these rodents. Probably carrying a plague."

At last she saw the speaker. He was perched on a tree branch about a hundred feet away, back to her. The only reason she'd spotted him was because he had a helmet on his head with a light coming out of it. He looked to be some kind of great bird, with buzzard-pale flesh on his torso and head and long, straight brown feathers along his back and wings. These wings had, in place of simple primary feathers, long, bony fingers with long feathers between them. The feathers seemed to fold away when he opened and closed his hands, and Cheetara squinted at him. She couldn't make out his clothing.

He seemed to be taking leaves from the tree. She remained completely silent and listened again.

"Needs to be thicker, well, I gave you one thickening agent already! If Red Eye is such a genius get him to design everything. 'Running low on roots and petals to increase potency of the serum,' well then go harvest some yourself! I'm a theorist and a lab scientist, not a botanist. I was born to discover and study in the antiseptic environment. With gloves…I miss my gloves. Oh, there are bugs in this tree, repulsive. Probably excreting slimes all over me, ugh!"

This fellow complained a lot, but after about five more minutes of this ranting he seemed to have filled a small bag with leaves and shook his shoulders to loosen them. Then he spread his wings and took off, never once looking at her or noticing their campsite. The feathers between his fingers lengthened and swelled full of air, carrying him gracefully between the trees and into the dark.

Cheetara gazed after him for a long moment and finally sat back down. Dawn was coming, and she'd mention the stranger when the others woke up.

But his ranting and strange behavior bothered her for the rest of the night.

* * *

Tygra turned in a circle. "I guess this is a bad time to say that this forest is a little fuzzy on the map, huh?"

Lion-O was staring at the screen in the Thundertank, zooming in on their location and squinting repeatedly. "I guess the trees have grown up and changed since the data was compiled. The path is still here, but…"

"It's kind of a mess. Like the magic path in the story Mama and Papa used to read to us." Wilykat sat on the hood of the Thundertank and looked up into the trees to see the pale sky. It looked like rain today and Tygra fidgeted. "No one happens to have a magic carpet, do they?"

The path forked in front of them, and the map seemed to state that there had actually been three paths at one time. There might have been the trampled, flooded remains of one right there, or that might be the remainder of four nests or so. Tygra scraped his claws over the ground and said, "Where do the three roads lead?"

"One to the western border of the forest, one right into the northern mountains, and the last goes toward the river. But they intersect in a few places." Lion-O abandoned the map and buried his claws in his hair, thumbs resting on his ponytail. "Ngh. My head's starting to hurt."

Panthro was looking at a compass embedded in the dash. "Let's see…that path is to the north, it's faded. So if we follow that, we might get lost. Maybe we can take that path northwest instead, and hopefully the intersection point will be better off."

Wilykit and Cheetara were standing side by side, Kit asking about the animal. "He was a baby? I hope he found his parents! You should've woken us up, I want to know what he looks like…"

"Maybe we'll see another one. I'll bet there are more around." Cheetara looked into the front of the tank and asked, "Do you want me to scout ahead on this faded path?"

Panthro shook his head. "Too risky. As fast as you move you'd get lost pretty quick."

Kat flopped over Panthro's shoulder to see the map and scratched his head. "I've got an idea. Can we just go straight toward the river without a path?"

Tygra shook his head. "Going in a straight line is harder than you think. Besides, we wouldn't be able to fit the tank through the forest unless we're willing to uproot half of it."

"Oh." Kat's tail drooped. "Sorry."

"It shows ingenuity," Lion-O said absently. He raised the Sword of Omens and gave it a weary look. "I tried looking through it, but it won't show me anything. I guess we should just try a path and see where it leads."

Cheetara climbed into the tank, Wilykit curling up in the back seat. "I wish we had an idea at least." She looked hopelessly from one path to another. "We could waste weeks here. I could scout ahead on the good paths at least."

Panthro seemed to consider this and Tygra – in spite of himself – didn't like the idea. Cheetara was tough, but if something attacked her and she was on her own…

Lion-O didn't reply to this. He was looking over the hood and staring at something. "Cheetara. Is that what I think it is?" She followed his eyes and her eyebrows jumped up.

"Yeah. It's another thing like the baby." Everyone turned and Tygra spotted the thing after a moment. It was sitting in a sunny patch, red fur quite bright, watching them impassively. It was about as tall as the kittens' waists, and Tygra presumed the baby thing – from Lion-O and Cheetara's description – had been much smaller. This thing was mature. It turned around and flicked its tail.

"It looks like he waved his tail at us. Like he wants us to follow," Kit said. Tygra gave the little beast a skeptical quirk of the mouth and checked his whip.

"A weird creature wants us to follow it…right. Tell me another one." The creature scowled – its brow furrowed and it frowned – and made an indignant noise, waving its tail more insistently. "Well, maybe it's smarter than it looks," he admitted. One of its ears cocked and it paced toward them on neat little feet.

Then its mouth opened. "My tribe need to speak with your group. Please follow me as it's quite urgent."

Panthro sputtered and Lion-O fell right onto his tail. Cheetara shot out of her seat and the kittens both exclaimed. "I'm not the only one that heard it talk, right?" Tygra asked, keeping up by hanging on to the side of the tank.

Lion-O shook his head, closing his mouth. The furry being gave them all a bewildered look. "Why are you surprised? Because I am four-legged?"

"No. Well…maybe," Cheetara said, climbing out of the tank. "I mean, we saw one of your kind before. It didn't talk to us. What are you exactly?"

"I am what is known as a Snarf. We have lived in this forest longer than Thundera has existed, and I suppose you can't be blamed for not knowing about us. We have been forgotten in the more 'civilized' parts of the world." The "Snarf" analyzed her with a tilt to his ears. "You and the lion freed our little one. The infants of our kind cannot speak, not until they are five years old. That one is mischievous and snuck out when his father was busy to explore when he was caught in your trap."

"Stellar parenting," Tygra muttered. Cheetara elbowed him and the Snarf paid him no mind.

"What did you want to see us about? We're sorry he was caught."

He shook his head dismissively. "You were compassionate and released him. We wondered if perhaps this compassion would lead you to help our people."

Cheetara looked up at Lion-O and leaned on the side of the ThunderTank. "What's the problem?"

"I was sent to fetch you so you could speak to our chief. Time is of the essence. Please follow me and he will explain it." He turned away and paused when he noticed the cats sharing suspicious looks. "Our tribe is very large. If you will not help us we will let you go on your way, but I cannot promise you won't find some mean-spirited pranks played on you while you travel here. Our people are angry and frightened."

Lion-O got out of the Thundertank. "Kat, Kit, you stay in the tank with Panthro. Panthro, follow us in the Thundertank." The darker cat nodded, eyes narrowing at the Snarf. If they were to try anything, there would be an arsenal ready. Tygra walked beside the tank, noticing that Cheetara walked with Lion-O, quite a bit closer to the Snarf. Girls; if it had a cute nose and a fluffy body, they melted. Cheetara was no exception. He sighed and shook his head.

For a while there was no conversation, only a steady darkening of the forest. The spaces in the branches for sunlight grew fewer and fewer, and the shade edged toward the blackness of night. Every now and then a beady jewel of an eye seemed to watch them and then vanish. Tygra stuck his tongue out at one and heard an outraged chattering and waved cheekily.

"Could you not try to annoy these guys? We might be outnumbered here." Lion-O didn't sound irritated, just glancing from side to side with supreme care.

"Hey, they're the rude ones. They won't even come out and say hello." Tygra stopped in his tracks and Lion-O paused too.

"Something wrong?"

"Yeah." He moved his foot and looked under it. "Something cold…what is this?" Tygra ducked down and fingered the substance, rubbing his fingertips together to check its consistency. "It feels cold and powdery. Almost like snow, but in grains." It didn't melt over his white fur and he rubbed his hand against a clean leaf. It looked like a puff of frost, softly white, and he noticed several more splotches of it in the cool, murky shade. "It's in little spots around here."

The Snarf turned around to come look at it. "Yes. It's from the cold man. He's what we want to talk about."

Finally interested, Tygra no longer made faces at the things creeping in the brush. There was a faint flicker of golden light up ahead, and it took a minute for him to recognize it as a campfire. These little guys could make fire? Impressive.

Panthro parked the Thundertank when the trees became too narrow, and he climbed out with the kittens right behind him and his weapon loose on his hip. Privately, Tygra considered having a Panthro around was as safe as having a tank, so this didn't bother him too much. "After you, my good man." He bowed and waved Panthro on. The cat grunted and trudged past Lion-O and Cheetara, and the Snarf looked up at him. They had paused before what appeared to be a curtain woven of vines, letting stars of firelight through. It was a surprisingly well-woven piece, a crochet of plant life. A few dark blossoms grew along the edges.

"Allow me to announce your presence," he said. The little fellow easily slipped through the gap in the curtain and they heard him murmuring. Tygra tapped his whip again, just in case, and he noted that Lion-O had one hand resting casually on the golden gauntlet he kept at his hip. Suddenly the Snarf poked his head back through. "Please come in. Our chief welcomes you and thanks you for coming."

The curtains opened and Panthro went through. Tygra followed with his fur cautiously bristling, but upon the sight within his unease changed to something like a very fuzzy awe.

There were literally hundreds of little creatures just like the one that had led them here. Eyes of every color and shape, chubby scarlet bodies and bony reddish coats, long tails, stubby tails, tails that had been cut short by some kind of accident. They were arranged in an arc around the fire, all on one side, and smaller ones were clustered up front where they could see better. Some of the faces were hairier than others, and about half of them had pinkish pale fur, thin layers across their delicate little faces. He reasoned that these might be female. There were more curtains beyond them, woven by the tiny paw-hands of the Snarfs and set with flat strips of bark, rimming their great fire. And on the other side of the fire was one Snarf with a great headdress on, made of feathers and colorful pebbles and pieces of cloth. It was quite impressive, and he seemed to suit it. He was a little larger and darker than all the others, and there was a scar on his side where the red fur was thin and white flesh peeped from under it.

"Please sit. In our Conference Grounds, everyone is offered complete safety." The large one had a deeper voice and gestured with a foreleg to several smooth, flat stones on the other side of the fire. Every eye was on them as they situated themselves, the kittens whispering to each other. Tygra sat last, feeling like he was at a foreign king's tea party. Oh man, tea, that would be great right now. "Thank you for coming. I apologize for our abruptness, but we are in dire straits, and you are the only travelers we've seen that have shown any sign of kindness. The others don't care for our plight."

Cheetara grinned; one of the little ones was waving at her. "Is that the baby from this morning?"

"Indeed. Our young Snar-Fer. You have our thanks for sparing him." There were several other little Snarfs around this Snar-Fer, and Cheetara was visibly fighting the urge to and gather them up in a big, cuddly mass. "I am the Chief Snarf, Os-Wald-O. Our tribe has lived in the forest for hundreds of years, and we are friendly to most travelers, especially when they show us kindness. You are welcome here." The Snarf stood up and bowed. Lion-O inclined his torso, a tricky feat while sitting. Tygra thought this rather silly, considering they doubtless had no deed of ownership or any other sign of owning this land.

"Thank you. I am Lion-O, and these are my fellows." He introduced them one by one. "We meant to travel to the river so we can follow it to the Fel Sea and Tropo. We didn't know this was your forest."

"We know. We have been spying on you to understand your intentions. We also know you carry Thundera's Sword, which is only ever carried by the noble and true." The Chief didn't seem abashed at all for spying, and Lion-O's hand slipped under his cloak to check the Sword of Omens in spite of himself. "By watching you we have determined that you have kind hearts, and feel as if we must ask you for your help. There is no one else we can turn to."

Lion-O frowned. "What seems to be the problem? Is something wrong with the forest? Your messenger mentioned enemies."

The chief lowered his eyes and the tiny mouth grew bitter. For something so little and fluffy to look so unhappy was a rather shocking thing. "We heard rumors of dark happenings. People take substances and turn into demons, and the people of the north are growing fearful with crime. A few months ago, one of these demon-people and a northerner – a Luna, I believe you call them – came to our forest. The northerner was a great fat man with metal legs that spew cold dust, and the demon-person is some sort of birdman. The moment they arrived they began tearing up certain plants and sending them away. This we could have tolerated, but they also took our people hostage."

At this Tygra straightened. The other Snarfs seemed to quiver. "How many of your people were taken?" he asked. A "demon-person" could only be one thing; a Mutant. Cheetara had mentioned a vulture in the trees. And a Luna with metal legs that shot "cold dust?"

"…Three hundred of our fathers and mothers, our sons and daughters, have been taken. They were put in metal cages and sent away. It did not matter to these people that we can speak and reason on their level. They tore children from parents and mate from mate." Both kittens gave outraged cries and Lion-O's face darkened. Tygra glanced at Panthro, who was listening impassively.

"Do you know why they took them?" Cheetara asked finally, softly.

"We aren't sure. You see, the birdman and the northerner live not far away. They harvest certain kinds of plants, but we don't know why. And often they come to our home territory and snatch up dozens of Snarfs. These they carry back to their metal house – a base, they called it – and we smell the dirty scent of their moving metal contraptions carrying plants and Snarfs away. We have tried to intercept these, but even though we get close enough to hear our families cry for help, we have no way to stop the metal things and unlock the cages. Some of us have been crushed trying to save them."

Here a few Snarfs shifted and Tygra saw withered limbs and missing tails. In spite of his natural skepticism, his heart softened a little.

"Where do they send them? Do you know?" he asked.

The chief nodded. "There is a lake in the forest. It was once a great bend in the river but over time it was separated from the current and now rain empties into it, keeping it deep and dangerous. They built a stone and metal road to its center, and sitting in the middle of the lake is another metal house. It is much larger than the other, and bad smells come from it often. We watch it all the time. Sometimes metal contraptions come out again, only this time they are full of bottles."

Tygra linked his fingers warily. "Mutation?"

"That is the name for the substance? It is green and apparently worth much to them. It is often sent down the river to Tropo and the sea." The chief was looking at them with a staunch refusal to look hopeful. "You know of this already."

"Tropo is a hub for Mutation trade from what we've heard. Did big bags on carts ever come through the forest to the birdman and the Luna who live here?" Cheetara asked. Surprised, a few of the Snarfs nodded, muttering to each other. "There was an awful woman in one of the villages who sent minerals out to other cities. It's an ingredient for Mutation. It sounds like this plant might be a part of what's used to synthesize it. I saw this bird in the trees early this morning. He was gathering leaves."

"Miss Hiss used to send carts to the forest," Kit said thoughtfully. "They always used to have moss and leaves on them when they came back because they spent so much time in the trees."

"Not only that, but from the sound of things there's someone mixing an important chemical for it here, or even Mutation itself," Lion-O said suddenly. "I take it you guys haven't been in the base on the lake?"

"Those who are taken in never get out. The stone road has fiery lights and they burn us if we touch them."

"Lasers," Tygra whispered to Panthro. He lowered his chin in a half-nod. "You say the Luna's metal legs shoot cold dust. Are you talking about that white stuff I saw on the ground?" he asked aloud.

The chief looked to the messenger who said, "Yes. He moves quickly by firing cold dust out of the metal legs, and when he walks more legs sprout out of the sides like a spider. That was where the last attack was, two days ago."

"It's pretty warm for a Luna in this climate," Panthro said. "Does he have some kind climate monitoring device on him?"

Several Snarfs blinked. Panthro rubbed the back of his head. "Er…does he have something that keeps him cold?"

"Yes," one Snarf said. She had a scar across her pert snout, perhaps an advisor. There was also a band of colored pebbles around her neck. "The metal thing he rides in makes cold air where he goes."

"I see." Panthro looked at Lion-O. "So. What do you think?"

Lion-O crossed his arms. "I assume you want us to fight these people and get them out of your forest, and free the captive Snarfs?"

An excited murmur raced through the furry bodies and several meowed delightedly. The chief raised a paw and the multitude grew silent again. "From the sound of things, you wish to stop the trade of this substance. You also wish to reach Tropo and the river as quickly as possible. I understand that this will be dangerous and time consuming. We are willing to offer you our services and assistance if you will help us. We know many paths through the forest, and we can help you reach your destination many days faster than if you wandered the winding paths, even with your big machine."

The chief paused and for the first time he took off his headdress. He seemed much tinier now and somewhat desperate in his bright eyes and shivering paws. "If you were to save our people, our entire tribe would owe you a great boon, and I would personally name all of you friends to the Snarf Forest Tribe. This is no small thing when traveling, for there are many peoples that are friends with Snarfs. One of the friendly tribes of our forest has declared war on the lake base. They might be willing to help you if you can reach them."

"I take it you guys can't?"

"The forest has grown perilous in that direction. Our friends are stronger than we are, and did not take it well when the northerner and the demon tried to kidnap their people. The fighting has grown worse, and we are defenseless."

Lion-O chewed his lip. "Would you mind if I spoke to my fellows in private?"

"Not at all." Tygra forced himself not to laugh when the chief and every Snarf behind him clamped their forepaws over their ears and waited patiently. Lion-O blinked and shushed the kittens when they giggled.

"Okay. What do you guys think of this?" he asked in undertone. The cats grouped around him in a small circle and Tygra shrugged.

"I think we've been asked to do something dangerous and stupid by complete strangers. But hey, the chief had a point. If this bird and Luna have something to do with the Mutation trade, we might want to nail them."

"Do we? We've already dealt a blow in Rana Village. Remember, Mutation isn't our number one priority; reaching the King's Door is. Or Icla in your case. And every time we stop to help some Susie Sob-Story, that eats into the time we have." Panthro nudged Kat because he was trying to wave at some of the baby Snarfs.

"What? They're fuzzy," he objected.

"If they have some shortcuts through the forest, it might end up saving time. Besides, are we really going to leave these little guys on their own? I mean…look at them." Cheetara gestured at the furry exodus. "They're scared. And we're lost."

Lion-O seemed torn and Tygra couldn't make up his mind either. These weren't kittens suffering, but even his wry conscience berated him for thinking about leaving and hurrying on their way. "Y'know, if we interfere here, we might start getting a name for ourselves. That could be a bad thing," he said suddenly. "The people in Tropo will expect us if we keep hitting every Mutation spot on our way." Panthro grunted and Lion-O exhaled in a sort of bewildered sigh.

"I don't understand why this is happening. I mean, what are the odds of us meeting two groups that need our help so close together?" Gesturing to the Sword of Omens he made a face. "You want me to ask it what we ought to do?"

"If it'll say anything." But Tygra blinked, hearing something snap. All the Snarfs were silent, but he had distinctly heard the crack of a branch. "Guys, did you hear-?"

One of the thin walls of wood and vines came crashing in and the Snarfs began screaming and running in every direction. It was a red and gold sea foaming around their legs and the kittens were nearly engulfed by the panicked rush. Only the chief remained, staunch in his place. Lion-O grabbed Kat and Tygra caught Kit, and Cheetara scooped up Snar-Fer and three other babies nearly trampled underfoot.

The splintered wall fell and Tygra saw the cold substance lacing its broken edges. "Looks like we're going to meet these guys whether we want to or not," he said, teeth bared grimly.

A clink and whirr preceded the first figure. He was tremendously round and sitting in what almost looked like a metal tub, flesh a light, bruised purple like many Luna. His torso was armored and his arms were bulging, though whether it was muscle or fat was impossible to tell. His neck was very short and his round head was bald but for one strip of violently purple hair on the center of his scalp and two yellow, gnarled horns on either side of it. His eyelids were nearly black and the whites of his eyes were a lusterless yellow. His lips were shiny with saliva and his expression was permanently squashed and sour. His large ears were pierced many times over with silver rings.

Most disturbing was the fact that the metal tub had no room for legs that would suit a man that size. It was as if he was just a chubby torso that had been chopped from his legs and put in a big metal bowl. But from the bottom of the tub stuck three large tubes, and he balanced on these like a tripod. The ground below these was steadily turning white, and Tygra realized it was ice.

He seemed dreadfully hot, and was wiping his forehead. "Can't believe he needs more of these rats. What has he done, eaten the lot of them?" The tub made a noise and out of the rim jets of cold air fired off, leaving icy dust on him. So that was how he survived in the temperate climate. "Oh…well, what have we here?" he said more quietly, looking at the cats with greedy dislike.

"Cats? I abhor cats. Always nosing into things…not to mention their bacteria. Campylobacter and who knows how many different kinds of intestinal worms!" Tygra looked up and spotted the bird Cheetara had described. He was crouched on a bough above them, eyes beady and beak protruding like a clay dagger. He was wearing a sleeveless smock and seemed unwilling to touch anything with his hands, cringing from tree trunks. He was wringing his fingers in a greasy way. "Why are you here?" the bird called.

"Just enjoying the sights, spreading germs, crapping in your forest," Tygra said banally. "Why are you here?"

The fat man scanned each face with boredom. As he did this the three tubes seemed to splinter off into thinner legs, sliding to the edge of the tub. These moved like a spider, carrying him like a huge bowl of gelatin on shards of creeping metal. Tygra twitched. Way too spidery for his taste. "The progression of science and commerce. I would recommend leaving this area. Bad things happen to travelers in these parts." He noticed Cheetara glaring at him and holding the little Snarfs in her arms. "Ah, you've been talking to them. What stories have they told, my dear?"

"Oh, just that you've been kidnapping them and doing heaven knows what to their people. And that you're in the Mutation trade. Little things." She put the babies down and shooed them away, making sure they sprinted out of the clearing before she took out her staff.

"Return our children, cur!" The little chief snarled and jumped, clawing at the metal. The Luna grinned lazily and batted him aside with the flick of a pointed leg segment.

"All part of production. But I'm afraid we need a few more of them, so if you don't mind." He shot forward, legs scrabbling at a horrifyingly fast rate. At the same time his left arm – one of his hands was made of metal, Tygra realized – raised and the metal hand folded outward, fingers tucking into what looked like the barrel of a tiny cannon. He grinned wetly and ice shot from it, lumps as big as fists that moved as fast as bullets. Cheetara just managed to duck and he shot past her, into the trees. The Snarfs began screaming again in the distance and Cheetara echoed them.

"You dirty cheat! Get over here!"

The sound of thick wings spreading made Tygra look up as the bird descended on them. "Cats, eh? I haven't experimented on cats in a while. What new viruses are you spreading to the planet? What new filth are you excreting? I shall have to disinfect myself after we do battle." The bird pumped his wings, letting the air descend on them. "You should be honored; Gyp is the name, and I rarely introduce myself."

Panthro's weapons – nunchuks, they were more common in the eastern lands but Tygra had seen them before – were brandished and the bird hesitated. "Gyp, huh? Captain Gyp of the Alliance? Not just any foe is dumb enough to give his name away."

An Alliance captain? Tygra gave new heed to the bird, who had fluffed up in anger. He hadn't heard of Gyp, so he must be relatively new or unimportant, but Panthro seemed very familiar with the name. "Slithe probably got tired of your whining and shipped you out here to chug out some Mutation, eh? He's the brains of the operation for a reason."

Gyp dove suddenly, hard as an arrow and twice as sharp. Panthro attacked and was clawed across his arm by talons for the trouble. But the bird hissed; one blow had glanced off his side, and his wings flapped to recover from the impact. Panthro's cut began to bleed but he didn't even look at it. He was shifting around to stand in front of the kittens, holding a fighter's defensive stance. Tygra sidled around to their other side, and Cheetara stole toward the forest where the Luna had vanished.

"I don't think so!" Gyp swooped down again, talons bared, and Cheetara ducked under them and put her hands on the ground, kicking up from under him, right in the stomach.

"Get out of the way, jerk!" She hit him with the length of her staff and knocked him aside like a stuffed toy. And with a flick of her golden hair Cheetara was gone, hurtling after the Luna. Lion-O took off after her, unsheathing his sword.

"Well-y well," Tygra said, languidly cracking his knuckles. Gyp was getting up, panting and holding his stomach as if he couldn't get a proper breath. "Shall we dance? It's only four on one."

"Two on one," Panthro corrected. The kittens gave him fuming looks and he returned a furious one of his own. "You lot get in the Tank where it's safe!"

Tygra ignored all this and headed in, whip unfurling and cracking. Somehow he got the idea that this guy wasn't going to be very difficult at all if he didn't get a chance to use Mutation.

Tygra didn't intend to give him that chance.

* * *

Lion-O had no hope of catching up to Cheetara if she were going at top speed, but he plowed after her anyway, jumping from the ground to fallen trunks to stumps, trying to eat up the distance. It had been very foolish for her to run off like this after an enemy they'd never faced, but her face had been livid when the Luna went after little Snar-Fer and the others. They'd not made their decision on whether or not to help the Snarfs, but Cheetara had made hers.

It hadn't been terribly wise or practical. But Lion-O couldn't help but like her more for it.

He heard the crash of metal on wood and redoubled his efforts. One of the trees in front of him cracked and he ran past it to see Cheetara flying back into another tree. The Luna had a long scratch on one arm and his fist was clenched as if he'd hit her. It looked like he'd been shooting the ice lumps and several had struck the young tree trunk before he'd managed to land a blow on Cheetara. Her lean body crumpled but she groaned, still conscious.

Turning to Lion-O, the Luna hefted his cannon arm and fired several times. Rather than ducking, Lion-O sliced neatly through each projectile with the Sword of Omens – the parted chunks flew harmlessly to either side of the blade – and let the spinning blows carry him to his enemy. Blocking him with his metal hand, the Luna tried to punch him but Lion-O pushed back and sliced at the metal legs of the machine.

One leg was dented but Lion-O paid for this when he was hit by an ice blast in the side. It felt as if he'd been struck by stone, making him stumble. Coughing, Lion-O gripped his ribs and snarled. "What do you want with these Snarfs?"

"My superior apparently needs them. So there." The Luna came in swinging, charging in a frosty gust. Lion-O cut at the metal legs again and this time one snapped. The Luna's weight pushed him forward and he cursed in a different language. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to put this thing together!?"

Lion-O snorted. "Pardon me for being inconsiderate of someone trying to abduct helpless creatures." The man pushed himself off the ground and Lion-O went in again, this time going for two more legs.

The needlelike appendages suddenly condensed, fitting together in the three tubes, and the Luna smirked as they shifted like a gun's barrel. An icy cloud of frozen dust spewed out of the bottom and Lion-O coughed on it before he managed to back away.

Cold. Frigid, icy cold. Lion-O clutched at his chest and sat down, feeling ice crystals in his chest. Hacking, he tried to vomit; it was the only thing he could think of to get the foul stuff out. But nothing came up, and he was left on his hands and knees, wheezing.

"Nice, isn't it? Sometimes a gust of subzero air is just what one needs." The ground turned white below the tubes and the fat Luna seemed to gloat with the chugging of his machine. He hovered in place as the tubes pumped out more cold and air. "I wonder what will happen if I stick the cannon in your mouth and fire?"

Something connected with the Luna's back and he gasped, flying to the side and through several bushes. Cheetara was up and her arm was bruised, but her eyes were dark. Her staff was letting out a faint light, and Lion-O felt the air warm near it. He curled in on himself and gasped, his insides stinging with the needles of ice. As the seconds groaned by he felt it lessening, and when he coughed the sensation began to fade. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just need a minute." Lion-O lurched to his feet. "Where are the Snarfs?"

The sound of the ice machines exploded over them and the Luna shot into the air, grinning down at them. He had the little Snarfs under his arms and Cheetara screamed at him. Without a word the man shot off over the forest, using the ice like a rocket. The faint cries were soft and growing softer, and Lion-O saw a dark, feathery mass ascend with him, looking quite pathetic.

He pressed one palm flat to his chest and glared after the pair. "They just made things very, very personal."

Cheetara's hands were absolutely fused to her staff, nostrils flared. Lion-O watched her fur puff out. "We'll get them back. Let's regroup and get the Snarfs to tell us where the base is. They won't be able to take all of us."

Shaking with rage, she nodded and took his arm, plowing back through the trees. Lion-O sprinted to keep up as she lugged him along, mind racing as he tried to figure out why a Luna and a vulture would be working together, and what "superior" they might be reporting to.

* * *

Panthro planted the kittens in the ThunderTank, neck throbbing in one very notable vein. That happened when he got mad. "When I say, 'Get in the Tank,' you do it!"

Churlish, neither kitten replied, arms crossed. "Gyp could have killed you!" he continued, banging on the metal door. He checked himself; he might dent the paneling. "You said you'd listen to orders!"

"We just wanted to help. Besides, he was weak…" Kat muttered.

"That doesn't matter! If he's a Captain of the Alliance, he's got some kind of skill!" Kit pouted at this.

"Well then how come you made fun of him?"

Panthro fumed, turning around. "It was a goad! Like what you did with Slithe! Friggin' kids!" Tygra had returned to the Tank, brushing dirty down primly from his tunic.

"Ease up Panthro. If they were going to make the mistake, at least it was with a weakling featherbrain like Gyp. One measly twisted ankle and he takes off like a baby." Tygra leaned on the Tank and gave each kitten a serious look. "You two promised you'd listen. If you're going to break your promise, we're taking you back to Timbyr."

The kittens exclaimed in horror and Panthro quirked an eyebrow, frown still heavily set. That would take even longer. But Tygra simply gave him a half-wink. "We said we'd listen to Lion-O! We didn't break our promise because Panthro isn't Lion-O! But we'll listen from now on," Kit bawled.

"Okay, okay…be sure you do." Tygra flicked his whip to coil it up and replace it on his hip. "Anyway, did you see which way Lion-O and Cheetara went?"

"We're here," Lion-O called. Cheetara was towing him, eyes smoldering, and Panthro realized the two were covered in foliage debris. He cursed himself and his failure when Lion-O nursed his side. "That ice guy is tough. He grabbed four Snarf babies and flew off. What happened with Gyp?"

"Flapped away like a chicken. He's not much to worry about without Mutation in him." Tygra turned his head toward where the pair had disappeared. "I guess we're involved whether we like it or not. Think we can find the Snarfs or the bases?"

Kat and Kit climbed out of the Tank. "Are we gonna help them then?"

"Considering the fact that those two just attacked us and they've kidnapped sentient creatures, I don't see how we can do anything else," Lion-O said firmly. He brushed the leaves and twigs from his hair and clothes and looked around the clearing. The thin walls had been ruined and the delicate vine curtains ripped to shreds. The fire had gone out, leaving the place very dark indeed. "Hello? Chief Os-Wald-O?"

The creak of a fallen branch drew their attention. "Here," whispered a quiet voice. Lion-O and Tygra stooped and Panthro spotted the chief's red hide under a cracked bough. Gyp had knocked several of them free in an attempt to harm them, and Os-Wald-O crawled out from under a thick one, favoring his right hind leg. "I failed. I tried to stop him," he mumbled, ears drooping. "He took our children again. I am lower than the tail of an outcast."

"Don't worry. If you can tell us where to find the base, we're definitely going to pay them a visit," Cheetara said coldly. Panthro knew that look; it was the look a mother bear got when someone messed with her cub. Death or general agony tended to follow such looks, although Cheetara would have to gain about two hundred pounds of muscle and hair before she looked so imposing. He'd seen a grizzly tear a man's arm off, and she lacked the power to do so, if not the savagery.

Actually, he had to wonder how Ursa was doing. The clink hadn't done much to dampen her spirit last he checked.

The chief gave them a wordless look of thanks. "You are Thundera's kin indeed. If you walk north from here you will find their base. I can show you the way."

"How about you go stay with your people?" Tygra asked. "You got pretty knocked around." The chief tested his leg and gritted his teeth, lifting up automatically.

"I suppose that might be best. But please, come to our settlement first. We have a few things that can help you. We are physically small and weak, but our minds make us mighty. Come, come."

Cheetara stooped and plucked him from the ground. "Just point the way, Chief Os-Wald-O. Kit, would you get his headdress for him?" The girl obeyed, picking up the feathery item and carrying it in reverent arms. Panthro held his head; Cheetara had been looking for an excuse to cuddle one of the creatures all along, if the way she carried him like a baby was any indicator.

A dignified baby, but a baby all the same.

Their "settlement" as it turned out was a series of underground tunnels not far from their Conference Grounds. It was so dark reaching it that it took ten minutes for their eyes to adjust enough to keep them from tripping over the knotted roots and the sudden tunnels. "We usually live in the trees and on the ground, wherever we please. We have paws that can form nests and houses and a homey village, so we are sheltered. But with our enemies, even underground is no longer safe." The chief was greeted by ten Snarfs at the mouth of the largest tunnel and Cheetara reluctantly set him down. It was simply a large hole in the ground, and Panthro eyed it; he would never fit down there. "Please wait. One of our people will bring the items. We need the weapons, my Snarfs. More of the children were taken."

A Snarf popped out of the hole carrying a package wrapped in leaves. She set this down and went away again, presumably for another item. The chief picked it up with and offered it to Lion-O, who took it gently. It was about the size of a matchbox. "Inside is a form of crumbly crystal-stone. Our spies have observed that the Luna cannot bear this substance and we dug for days in the rocks of the river bed to find even a little."

Lion-O unwrapped it and Tygra sniffed it gingerly. He then picked it up, stared, and gave it a cautious lick. "…Salt?"

"If that is your word for it. It makes their skin sizzle." The Snarf returned again with another wrapped package, and this one smelled. Panthro saw the kittens making faces and couldn't understand what it might be as Lion-O – uneasily – accepted it. "We have watched the birdman and have seen that he fears many substances, including dirty things. The dirtiest thing we have access to is goo-no."

"'Goo-no?'"

"It is the Snarf word for poo." Lion-O bristled but, to his credit, didn't drop the wrapped package. "The bird fears sickness and he always screams very much when we lay traps of goo-no for him."

"Gee, what a surprise," Tygra muttered. Panthro shook his head; no wonder these guys were being herded like scared mice. They had no discipline, no sense of fighting. They had "weapons" but didn't seem to understand that their sheer numbers were one of their greatest strengths.

And now they thought throwing feces at a bird would fix their problems. Great.

Lion-O hurriedly tucked the "weapons" into his cloak and unobtrusively rubbed his palm on his pant leg. "Thank you. We'll be back soon, hopefully with the other Snarfs."

It took five minutes before Panthro trusted that they were far enough from the sly little creatures to speak. "This is ludicrous."

"What? The fact that we're going to bat for these little guys, or the fact that they just gave us literal crap to throw at Gyp?" Tygra nudged Lion-O. "Drop that, it's unhygienic."

"That's the point, isn't it?" Wilykat put out his paws. "I'll hold it. Maybe it really will come in handy." Lion-O gave it to him and the kitten slipped it into his rough tunic pocket. Wilykit reached into the cloak and grabbed the leaf-wrapped salt, and put this in her own pocket.

"They're just trying to help," Cheetara said. "It's no wonder they're in trouble. I don't think they know anything at all about fighting."

"You'd be right about that. The question is, do you know any more about your enemy than they do?"

Panthro looked up and saw a set of bright, animal eyes staring at them from a branch. He squinted and caught violent flashes of red and yellow fur and realized it was another Snarf. "We're not a warring people at all, and far too trusting. Only the chief has ever battled, and that was years ago. We've become accustomed to peace."

The creature jumped from branch to tree knots landed daintily on the ground and paced toward them. He was the same size as the others but his fur seemed more ruffled and his face was rather less astounded. It had a knowledgeable, crafty tilt. "They don't even know about the superior. He has a terrible power."

Panthro watched this one carefully. He moved with precision and care, not too close to the cats. "Oh really? I don't suppose you'd know more about what's happening, would you?"

"I would, actually." He sat down and curled his tail around the tiny paws. "The Luna's name is Tug-Mug. You've already been introduced to Gyp. But they work with someone else, someone more mysterious than they are. He lives in the base on the lake and remains hidden. It's he who uses the Snarfs, and he who process this liquid to use in making the drug. That's what they send to Tropo, and some of it goes to Lune."

He spoke so simply and frankly that Panthro found he liked this Snarf rather more than the others. The little guy acted like he had business to attend to. "And you know this how?"

"I've been spying on the lake for days. Everyone else fears it, but there is only one man inside. A Luna with bright red eyes."

Lion-O knelt to be closer to eye level with the Snarf. "Another Luna?"

"Yes. He comes out at night sometimes. I think he goes to the northern end of the forest to fight with our friends. He always comes back before dawn." The Snarf eyed each of them. "But to deal with him, you'll need help getting into his base. And you'll need to get in Tug-Mug and Gyp's base to make sure to free all the others and stop the operations entirely. Assuming you really intend to help our people."

"Of course we do." Cheetara crouched and wrapped her arms around her knees for balance. "What's your name? Were you in the group earlier?"

He hesitated. "No, I wasn't. I prefer to watch from afar and observe. And my name…just call me Snarf. I don't like my real name."

They all exchanged a glance. "Okay 'Snarf'…so, back to what you were saying about help? Do you think we can storm the bases?" Tygra asked.

"Not with Snarfs. They're too afraid to fight, all but the chief and me." "Snarf" walked past Lion-O and tossed a look over his shoulder. "I think you'd be best off with some help to keep the freed Snarfs safe though. There are those who would be only too willing to help you storm the bases, and I know where they are. We may have to deal with Gyp or Tug-Mug on the way there, but I think you've proven that you can handle them when you work together."

Wilykat and Wilykit knelt, tails wiggling as he trotted away. "You're not scared?" Kit called.

Snarf shook his head. "I do not have the luxury of fear. I'll take you to the people that will help you take the bases if you do something for me."

Panthro got a funny feeling and crossed his arms. "And that would be?"

"Let me go with you to bust out the Snarfs." He returned to them with a carefully serene expression. "They'll trust me more than strangers. I could be of much assistance to you."

Tygra planted his chin in his hands. "Let me guess. You had a vision telling you to come help us?" he said wryly. Cheetara shot him a dirty look.

Snarf cocked a furry brow. "No. I want to help my people and I have relevant skills. I should think that's a very simple reason for wanting to help you."

Panthro sighed. "That's the most sensible thing I've heard in weeks." The Snarf seemed pleased by this. "Okay, a couple of questions. What friends are wanting to attack these bases, why haven't they done it yet, can they fight, and why is it you're so different from the other Snarfs? Answer me these and we'll see about helping."

Snarf stretched, tail extended and claws appearing as his rump lifted in a languid bend. "The forest is very large. Snarfs are not the only tribe to live in this land, and we are friends with many of the sentient races that live here. One of them is a good deal stronger than we are, and have already been giving the Luna and Gyp trouble. Even so, in spite of their strength, they are unable to breach the metal walls on their own. They are a peaceful race for the most part, and have never had any cannons like your people have." Snarf nibbled his leg and licked the spot. "They are fair fighters I think, although I'm no expert. And I'm different because…I like to watch things. I like to see new things and people. And I am considered something of an oddity to our people."

He pulled at Lion-O's pant leg. "So. Shall you meet these friends and storm the bases, dealing a blow to Mutation and injustice with the same swipe of a blade? Or will you leave the forest in despair, shaming Thundera's name?"

Tygra rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like such a hard choice."

He smiled, revealing pearly teeth. "Follow me. Keep your eyes peeled for Gyp and Tug-Mug."

* * *

Snar-Fer stopped yowling after about ten minutes. It wasn't doing any good and Tug-Mug kept tightening his grip as they soared over the forest, Gyp flapping his wings and seething.

"I can't believe they're already here. Slithe didn't say they moved so quickly! This is bad, this is very bad-!"

"Be quiet." Tug-Mug's head hurt and the sound of his machine humming was annoying enough. If he could just shut Gyp up he might actually feel better. The girl had been scrawny but her staff packed a wallop, and the smoky whine of his damaged jet-legs alerted him to his need for maintenance. "Can you repair my machine?"

Gyp would have crossed his arms judging by the way he raised his beak in haughty irritation. He was flying though, so this was impossible. "I thought you wanted me to be quiet." Tug-Mug scowled and Gyp reluctantly added, "Yes, I'll repair it. But only if you deal with the ruffians. And with Red Eye. I don't like the way he looks at me. He acts as if he doesn't like me."

"He doesn't." The response to this was indignation but Tug-Mug just kept going. "He doesn't like anyone, really. Just don't cross him and you'll be all right. Ma keeps him in check."

"How one keeps something like him 'in check' is beyond me," Gyp muttered.

"You've never met her. You wouldn't ask if you had." He spotted their base through the trees and began to descend. "We need to send him a message to let him know about the intruders. Slithe said they have a substance that can neutralize Mutation if it's injected, so if you end up using your Mutation, keep out of reach."

Gyp circled around and dipped below the metal walls. They loomed high and thick and Tug-Mug was proud as he too dropped within them. Nothing had yet overtaken them, and they had been constructed by himself. The base within was nothing to sneeze at either, a low, sterile place with dark doors and cool interior. He hurried inside and sighed at the chill gust – it really was rather too warm around here. Gyp clapped and the lights came on, casting everything in a pale blue sheen. "I don't see why, since Red-Eye is so powerful, he can't deal with them." Gyp took one of the Snarfs with a grimace, holding it by the scruff of its neck with two claws. "We get these for him, he can help us every so often."

"You want to bother him about it, you go ahead. I've got a few cats to skin." Tug-Mug was connected to his metal legs by a chip in his brain, and he used this to open the spidery legs. Three of them were damaged now and twitched occasionally. Still, they operated well enough to find the storage room where they kept Snarfs and empty cages. The little beasts cowered as he entered and he dropped his three into one cage's open top. Gyp hurriedly did the same and waved his hand as if flinging off particles. Tug-Mug shut the cage and it locked, all four little Snarfs still shivering. "We've got twelve here, we can send them on to Red-Eye once the cats are dealt with."

"Maybe you want to fight, but I have a twisted ankle! That tiger threw me around like a rag doll!" Gyp scurried out of the storage room, looking for a sink to wash in.

"That's why you'll use Mutation and swoop down on them before they know what's happening," Tug-Mug said impatiently. "The wrong people get to be Mutants…"

"It's not like the Luna can utilize Mutation anyway," Gyp sniffed. The sound of running water from another room made Tug-Mug's eyes roll. "It doesn't have any effect on your blood. Makes it easy to let it go, doesn't it?"

"Quite. Of course, that's where intelligence comes in," he replied airily.

Gyp snorted. "Intelligence nothing, I know what the others are, the witches. You're the only one that can't use magic, cannon-boy."

Tug-Mug's face darkened. Gyp had returned with tools in hand. "Oh relax. Personally, I think magic is overrated. Too chaotic. Come to the work bench and I'll repair those legs easily enough."

"Fine, just let me open the message system. And fair enough about chaos, Chilla is a whole different category of crazy." They entered a bigger room, much more spacious and incredibly clean. Gyp worked here and Tug-Mug did envy his organization. He slapped a hand on a button as he entered and the screen on the wall – it was a slightly older model but it had been fixed and installed months prior – lit up. "Call Red-Eye."

It took a few second before an image came up. It was a broad back, bent over a worktable. The light was incredibly dim. "Red-Eye, we have news."

The figure stopped and turned. The only thing Tug-Mug could clearly make out were the enormous eyes that had given Red-Eye his name. They were like a chameleon's and never blinked. "The cats that fought Slithe and lived are on their way here, I think. The rodents have asked for their help, and all together they aren't as weak as we'd like."

The faint sound of quiet breathing was like a gust. "I think we can handle them. But they will have antimutagen, and Gyp was injured." The vulture muttered and didn't look up, pretending to be very busy with Tug-Mug's legs. "We're not sure when they'll strike or where they'll attack first. I know you're dealing with those bear-things, but these felines are of a greater concern. They've set us back three weeks by taking out the nearest mineral trader in Rana."

There came a growl, almost a hum. Tug-Mug continued, "Tell Ma if you want. See what she wants. Slithe was heading on toward Tropo I think."

Tug-Mug felt one leg come detached and he winced. "That's all I wanted to say. Oh, and expect a shipment of the things soon. We only caught four because of the cats, but that makes about a dozen total. I know you wanted us to send more over."

For the first time Red-Eye nodded. "Well, I'll be going then. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Tug-Mug said. Then the screen went dark and Gyp shuddered.

"He never even talks. How do you know what he's thinking?"

"Luna know Luna. And he can't talk." Tug-Mug settled in and crossed his arms. "If those cats think we'll go down as easily as Slithe, they're quite mistaken."

"Slithe is a powerful warrior…if a slimy, unhygienic git. I wouldn't underestimate them." Gyp took out several metal segments. "Now hold still. This is an art."

* * *

"So, why do you guys live here? It's so dark and creepy. Don't you like the sunshine?" Wilykit and Wilykat walked on either side of Snarf, and Kit kept trying to bat at his fluffy tail. He moved quickly, and this was harder than it sounded.

"There's plenty of sunshine if one knows where to look. Our village was a very pleasant place to live. We hope to live there again when it is safe." Snarf sniffed the air and adjusted his course slightly. "We live in branches and where fruit and bugs are. The forest had never been unsafe before. There have been predators, but nothing like this. I suppose that's one reason we didn't know how to deal with these new enemies."

"You've never gone to war? What about the chief? You said he'd fought before," Panthro said. Kit couldn't quite imagine a war; they were technically always in one with the Alliance, but that was such a common, distant thing that it hardly affected civilians anymore. And Snarfs, fighting?

"No. Not within hundreds of years, anyway. Chief Os-Wald-O fought when he traveled the world to see the sights. This was at least fifty years ago, and he is much older now. His heart is stout but his body is weaker." Snarf scratched at something on the ground and then pounced on it – a grub of some kind. He ate this and Kit's tummy flipped.

"Doesn't it wiggle?"

"A bit." Snarf licked his lips. "Many lack the strength and guile war would require. That's why I think you can help us. Your people at least know how to fight. You have been in a fair share of wars."

Tygra shrugged. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"It's an observation. Nothing more. It may end up benefiting my people." Snarf stopped. "I think they entered our territory. They're watching us."

Kat looked around and Kit followed suit, noticing that Panthro looked alarmed. "Who's watching-?"

Something rolled out from between two trunks and Kit squeaked; there were round, shiny things peering from between the dark trees and they seemed to rim the cats. Snarf did not seem frightened at all, sitting on his haunches and waiting as the object bumped and bowled over the uneven ground.

The thing ceased rolling, resembling a metal marble. Seams opened up along it and it uncurled, sitting up and stoutly standing on two feet. Kit's fear instantly eased and she blinked. "It looks like a teddy bear."

Indeed it did. Standing up on two pudgy legs, the "bear" had a round furry body and a soft, almost forlorn face. But looking at it more closely, Kit felt a little weird to see that, instead of being completely furred with dark brown hair, there were spots on its chest and face and arms that seemed to be coated in metal armor. There might have been a strip along his spine too, but she couldn't see for sure. And in spite of the cuddly height, short snout and positively adorable ears, the bear had long claws for each finger and toe. It looked at every cat before fixing his dark, shining eyes on Snarf. "Are these friends or enemies?" His voice was soft and sweet, as if he'd rather be opening up a hive and taking out some of the honeycomb.

"Friends. I'm surprised to see you so far into the forest. I was bringing them to see you so we might be able to take the bases."

The bear tilted his head and raised a claw to his mouth in thought. Kit looked at her brother, who blinked. Was this the Forest of Things as Cute as Themselves? "The enemy drove us from our village. We were scouting ahead to examine this area." The bear waddled up to them and Lion-O approached politely. "You will help us fight our enemies?" The tiny mouth moved adorably, and Kit had to think that perhaps something made everything in the forest magically super-adorable.

"I suppose so," he replied. "I'm Lion-O. This is Wilykit, Wilykat, Cheetara, Tygra, and Panthro. You know Snarf, obviously." The bear looked at each person as he named them. "Begging your pardon, but what are you?"

"We are the Berbils, more recently known as Ro-Bear Berbils. You may call me Bill." This one seemed to be a leader, and Kit spotted a dark paw print on his head. Perhaps these "Berbils" had a chief system like the Snarfs? "We do not usually speak to outsiders. Times are very desperate."

Lion-O sat down so he was on eye level with the short creature. Kit thought it very nice of him and very respectful. Cheetara drew close, obviously fascinated. Even Tygra was looking at the metal armor with a curious expression, somewhere between fascination and…was it pity? "I understand. You wanted help storming some bases and we wanted to help the Snarfs and stop our enemies' cohorts. We also would like safe travel through your forest along the river."

Bill again put a claw to his mouth in thought. "You will come with us and help us plan? We will help you stop Tug-Mug, Gyp, and the one they call Red-Eye if you are strong, and we will also show you special roads to the river."

"'Red-Eye?'" Tygra cocked his head.

"He is the one Tug-Mug and Gyp listen to. They are all working together, but he is the most powerful. He is also the great enemy of all Berbils of the forest." All the bears made quiet murmurs.

Panthro blinked. He had to stoop very far to be anywhere near the eye level of the Berbils. "How long has he been here?"

"A few months, but he is cruel and evil enough to have harmed us forever. It is only fitting that we use the pain he caused to send him far, far away." The brown Berbil made a fist and his claws clenched. At the same time the armored strips of metal on his spine and arms opened and revealed spikes.

Tygra put out a hand. "May I?" Bill gave him his paw and Tygra began to examine it. "…What is this stuff?"

Tygra tapped the arm surface with a claw. Rather than ringing like iron or silver it clicked like two claws rapping together. But Kit squinted at it and saw the smooth shine of metal, brighter than water. These two facts did not add up. Bill took his hand back. "We will explain. Come to our settlement and we will plan to attack. We will help you save the Snarfs; many times our people have tried to take the walls. Now perhaps we will be able to. Come, follow."

As one the large group of bears came out and followed Bill, and Kit sidled close to Cheetara. The bears were not very tall, but then, neither were the kittens, and they walked very close to each other. Kit looked around and so did Kat, and they shared a questioning look; were all of these males? None of them looked like girls at all, but neither of them had ever seen a Berbil. There were stories about tiny bear tribes, but none of them had ever mentioned them being cyborgs.

After a while the dark green of the passing forest started to lighten, and the yellow of the sun saturated the leaves and trunks. Bill trudged on in content silence between several thick, droopy ferns and the blaze of the sun on his metal was sudden and blinding. Kit covered her eyes and felt the heat of light on her fur, making her sweat. "Whoa," Cheetara murmured.

Kit blinked several times and her jaw dropped, gawking at the sight. They'd come out into a much larger clearing than before, lush with grass that grew easily in the sun of treeless space. In this clearing were no less than one hundred bears, many of them with lighter, softer fur and slightly shorter bodies. These were undoubtedly the females, and to Kit's surprise their arms were entirely coated in the metal substance rather than just having strips. Their backs had no "metal" armor strips though. Babies of both genders wandered and rolled after these, but all grew silent when the cats came into view. The quiet was frigid, prickly, and Kit felt her ears fall back and her tail huddled right behind her knees.

Bill waved a hand. "These are friends. Snarf has brought them to help us. Come meet them. They hate the bad ones too."

The settlement exploded with welcomes. Children and women and men alike crowded around and inspected their guests. Kit put out an arm to shake a few hands but it wasn't until thirteen different people had looked over her fingers and marveled at the short length of her claws that she could finally retract and hide a little better.

"So who here wants to help us stop these jerks?" Tygra asked. This caused another round of babble, and three cubs put their hands in the air. Bill stuck his pinkie claws in his mouth and whistled, calming the crowd.

"We plan inside. Enemies might be listening. Belle dear, take your ladies and form a perimeter please." One of the gold-colored females – she had flowers pinned in her fur around her ears, rich pink blooms that made Kit remember the flower Panthro had given her – nodded and gestured with her metal arms. Ten others followed her, and the cubs they'd been watching shifted to other women as if this were a normal thing. "Belle and the lady Berbils are very good at attacking from a distance. They will protect this place while we plan." Bill took Lion-O's hand and marched into the light.

There were only a few small buildings, and they looked like huts built from wood and grass. Kit recognized an attempt at camouflage when she saw it, and decided that, from above, it would be very hard to pick them out. "These are not nice houses, but they keep us dry and safe," Bill said apologetically. "Are you hungry? We have Candyfruit."

Kat perked up. "Really? Wow, I didn't know if it grew here." Some of the Berbils giggled. "What?

"Berbils are the original farmers of Candyfruit. They cultivated the trees until their fruit was good, and started the trade of Candyfruit eight hundred years ago. Our ancestors are the reasons the trees now spread across the world." Bill said this with a certain amount of pride and opened a flat piece of bark that formed a door in the front of the round, planted house. Kit stifled a laugh; Panthro had to get down on his hands and knees to get through and he seemed highly aggravated by this.

Inside the hut was just a dry, warm place to sit. In the middle of the round, earthy room was a slab of rock and several pieces of paper. And yet, rimming the room, were a few chunks of metal and tools. "Our village is much better. We have tools there, and orchards. Red-Eye drove us out only yesterday, but we hoped to reclaim the village in the next week. Our children were at risk if we battled there. This time we will attack him with great anger." Bill sat down and the cats followed suit. Kit climbed into Tygra's lap and Kat into Lion-O's, trying to make room for Panthro to sit. Snarf deigned to be seated in Cheetara's lap, and in spite of his clear, clever way, did not seem to mind when one of her claws scratched delicately behind his ear. A few Berbils brought them fruit, a hospitality that Kit found she liked.

Bill cleared his throat. "You asked about Red-Eye and the Berbils. Have you never heard of Berbils?"

"I heard of bear people in the forests, tinkers. But not robot bears," Kat said. Kit nodded and Bill looked down.

"Yes. We are an old, tiny bear tribe. We have lived in forests and nice places for generations, growing food and trading with people. The Snarfs are good friends to us, and they would often help us keep our village clean and nice by getting rid of storm debris and bugs. We would give them Candyfruit and shelter if things were bad. Things were very good."

Bill seemed blissful, and Snarf too sighed. Bill shook himself from his reverie. "But one day, three people came. We Berbils are not as social as Snarfs, so we remained hidden. Snarfs greeted them after watching them and seeing nothing amiss."

Snarf's tail lashed. "Foolish," he said bitterly.

The Berbil's ears drooped and Kit could have cried. "The Luna and Gyp captured the Snarfs that came to say hello and immediately began to set up bases. We were afraid and waited to see what they were doing, unsure of how to act. They were good builders, and in a few weeks the forest base was built. It took longer to build the base on the lake, but it was a good decision on their part. It is impossible to get inside the base except by the road, and it is guarded by laser light. Gyp and Tug-Mug often went out and tried to capture Snarfs because they were closer to the Snarf territory, and then they would send them on."

Lion-O spoke. "And let me guess…you guys didn't like that your friends were being treated so horribly?"

Bill nodded stoutly. "We went to the forest base and insisted the Snarfs be released. We did not want war, but the innocent were being trod underfoot. They insulted us, thinking that little bears could do nothing. We made a big mess and smashed many things, trying to take the wall. They drove us off with ice, but they knew now that Berbils are not so easy to step on."

Panthro grunted. "So where does this Red-Eye guy come in? Was he hiding in the lake base this whole time?"

Bill nodded. "But when he heard of what we Berbils had done, he came out. And…"

He looked down. "He is much, much stronger than the other two. We attacked him when he came near the forest base. But he…he knows magic."

Cheetara stiffened. "You mean illusions and tricks? Or do you mean the real deal?"

"Real. Bad, dark things. He seemed interested by us. Some of our people he took into his base, and we have not seen them since. And he cursed our kind."

Tygra looked skeptical. "What do you mean?"

Bill held up an arm. The dim light reflected off the metal. "He made us like robots. It spreads every day. Everyone, even our children, was touched by this curse." Tygra blinked. "Did you think we were born this way? We were all flesh and blood once, not a year ago."

Lion-O took a look over the bear's arm, running his finger along the side of the metal. "Is it below your fur?" He tapped what should have been soft, furry flesh and Kit saw that his finger bounced off. Her stomach turned; there was metal beneath that fur.

"It is everywhere but my chest and head. The metal grows under first and then over fur. I can find the edge for you." Bill prodded his stomach where it joined his ribcage and his claw came away with a drop of blood. "When we are covered completely, who knows what will happen? Perhaps we will be robot teddy bears. Perhaps we will serve Red-Eye as servants as he forces Snarfs to. What he cannot cause by fear, he will cause by magic." Bill shuddered and Lion-O held the little paw.

"Is it spreading at the same rate for everyone?"

"In the village, yes. For the captured I don't know. And it has made us stronger, so we use all our strength to attack. If he is to control us someday, we will give him reason to shudder before that day comes." Bill's face tightened in anger and his little snout curled.

"Why would he do this if it would make you stronger?" Cheetara asked.

"Because even now, we are not strong enough to take the walls ourselves. And I think…Red-Eye enjoys harming us. He often comes hunting for us, and he can find us no matter where we hide. The hunt is enjoyable for him. So we no longer hide. We claw and fight and look for blood." Bill paused. "I do not know if you can help us. The curse may keep going even if we stop Red-Eye. But if we were simply to remain this way, I think we could learn to deal with it. As long as our families are alive and have freedom, we will not complain."

Cheetara held Snarf, who had been quiet for a long time. "I don't know how we can remove a curse. But maybe Tug-Mug and Gyp will know something about what he did. If we storm their base first, and find a way to take Red-Eye by surprise…"

Panthro was nodding. "Yeah. We'd have to find a way to take them down before they could send a message though to warn him. I can't think of a way to take the base that quickly."

Tygra rolled his eyes. "All this talk of taking bases…it's a lot simpler than that."

Everyone looked at him and he shut one eye as if winking. "The trick is that we have to get Tug-Mug and Gyp out of the base and take them both down. We can force them to let us in the base. Maybe if they see some Snarfs outside, they'll figure easy pickings and then, lo and behold, who shows up with a plan? We do."

Lion-O blinked. "That's a really good idea. But how will we get in the lake base? Do we wait around for Red-Eye to come out and do the same to him?"

"Not at all. I'm working on that." He opened both yellow eyes and focused on Snarf. "Little guy, I need you to tell me about Tug-Mug and Gyp's system of sending Snarfs to Red-Eye. Do they get sent in tanks or carriages?"

"Metal carriages. They're locked inside dark cages that are sent through the door," Snarf muttered, giving him a weird look. "They're kept inside the base until they've been filled."

"How big are these cages? Big enough for, say, a cat?"

Lion-O was starting to smile and Panthro was looking very interested. Kit had never seen him smile much, but his teeth were showing now. Even Cheetara was looking mischievous. She looked at her brother and plopped her chin on her hand. "I'm lost."

"I'm not." Kat looked delighted. "Trust me sis, this is a good idea. These bad guys will be knocked out of the forest before breakfast tomorrow."

* * *

 **End of Episode 5**


	6. Chapter 6

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 6**

 **Into the Bases**

* * *

"All right, are we ready to finalize the plan?" Lion-O had several canisters of antimutagen on his belt and Bill walked past him to face the group of Berbils like a tiny drill sergeant. There were twenty of them, ten males and ten females. Lion-O stood with him. "You guys will be following Bill's lead. Snarf will skirt around the base to attract Gyp and Tug-Mug's attention. When they come out, we'll fight and restrain them and gain access to the base. You need to hide until you get the order to attack. Any questions so far?"

A lady Berbil raised one hand. "What if only one comes out?"

"We need them both outside so they can't send a message to Red-Eye. Surprise is the key to our plan succeeding. If only one comes out we have to fall back for now. We'll think of something if that happens." Lion-O let Bill pace and the tiny fellow lifted his head.

"When we take the forest base, our Berbil team and the cats will use the cages and carriages to get across the road of the lake base. Thinking we are more Snarfs, Red-Eye should allow us in if he does not suspect anything. Once inside the walls, we will start to take the base and free all the captives inside, Snarf and Berbil alike. The cats will deal with Red-Eye, and we will be in charge of defending the Snarfs and our fellows while they fight."

Lion-O scanned each Berbil and asked, "What forms of offense do you guys have? I see the claws obviously."

Bill saluted and the male Berbils mirrored him. "The males can Ber-Bowl enemies and ladies use the Ber-Berang."

Tygra – who had been sitting on the ground next to Lion-O and muttering to Snarf about the layout of the forest – lifted an eyebrow. "Pardon?

Bill whistled sharply and each Berbil male, including him, curled in on himself suddenly, spikes protruding along the perfectly spherical shape. Bill unrolled and said, "We do this when we run downhill and it causes much damage when we roll. We call it Ber-Bowling. It is very fun to do. Even Red-Eye gives pause when ten Berbils with spikes are rolling at him."

The sound of the Thundertank approaching made the Berbils move out of the way, admiring the machine as it eased to a stop. Panthro had gone to fetch it and he climbed out. "Nobody out there. Are we ready?"

"Just about." Lion-O was looking at one of the female Berbils. "What can you do? You don't have spikes in the same places. What's a Ber-Berang?"

Belle smiled, nose crinkling. Then she turned away, set her feet in the ground, and flung her arm out as if slapping someone.

Her arm flew off in an angle, bent at the elbow, and it whirled through the air like a boomerang. It sliced into a tree and cut away several inches of bark, baring the pale insides to the air, and her arm returned and she shifted so the shoulder part slammed perfectly into its socket. She bowed and waved as if to show that her arm was all right.

Tygra sat there. "That was cool, I grant you."

Lion-O went to examine the cut. It was very clean, and he ran his thumb across it. "That's some pretty tough alloy."

"Yeah. Or whatever magical substance it is," Tygra said, almost convincingly. Lion-O had gathered that Tygra was not terribly inclined toward the supernatural. Lion-O didn't honestly care whether it was a curse or something else, but the fact that this metal was growing on every Berbil was a problem. One they would try to fix. He intended to question Tug-Mug and Gyp and, if they could capture him, Red-Eye. It bothered him not to have heard of this enemy before but sometimes one simply had to go in as prepared as possible.

"Snarf, you ready?"

Sitting in Kit's lap, Snarf finally rolled to his feet and briskly shook off. "Naturally. Let's do this. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can get these intruders out."

* * *

"I swear, these creatures are ridiculous. There's one outside right now, rooting about for berries." Gyp stepped away from the security panel in disgust.

Tug-Mug was busy moving his legs. Each one shifted perfectly to his whim and fused into his tripod jet. Gyp wondered at how the mechanical legs communicated with Tug-Mug's brain to give him such fluid control. It was probably some kind of chip integrated with his nervous system to send stimuli to each limb. But to be able to perform such delicate surgery with such fragile systems would take a genius. Perhaps if the Luna ended up being blown apart Gyp would get the opportunity to open him up and figure it out. The Luna were very gifted with neural technology.

Gyp was, first and foremost, a scientist. One that hated obstacles. He supposed he liked Tug-Mug for the simple fact that he too disliked things that stood in his way. He was still quite willing to dissect the man if he got the chance. He got the feeling Tug-Mug knew it too.

"Any sign of the cats?" Tug-Mug asked. He returned the tripod to spider-leg form and used them to approach the screen.

"None at all. I wonder if they ran away." Gyp scanned the trees and spotted nothing, scowling. "Oh, look, it's urinating on the nearest specimens…those herbs are delicate!"

"I told you to plant them inside the walls."

"Yes but they're so much more suited to grow by the roots of fungi! Shall we go get him? That'll make a good thirteen to send off, unless you already shipped them?"

Tug-Mug sighed. "Not yet I haven't. Why don't you go out there and get him? I'm rather tired."

Gyp muttered. "You know I'm terrible at catching them."

"Because you're a germaphobe," Tug-Mug said. Gyp bristled but crossed his arms. "I suppose one's easy enough. You want me to go alone?"

"No, I need to check the soil for my specimens now. I was working on altering the plant gene structure, and that little rat's going to ruin months of work. I sent one sample with Amok and now this is all I have. You catch him, I'll examine them." Gyp was wringing his hands again. "Now where are my gloves…?"

"You realize bacteria are literally everywhere," Tug-Mug said, legs scuttling on by. Gyp hissed.

"Don't remind me. I can't be the only one in the world with this comprehension of the unclean."

Tug-Mug enjoyed the cool base interior as they passed languidly through the halls, Snarfs in cages ducking down as they passed the storage room. "There are those like you. But I think most societies have names for them…oh yes…nutcases."

"I prefer 'high-strung genius.' And who knows how to repair your machinery, hm? I think you should keep on pleasant terms with me." Gyp waited for Tug-Mug to hit the switch panel and snorted on the air that came in. The pale metal walls ended in a door that slid into the ground, and as it shifted away the door in the walls opened as well, leaving a great gap in the metal to show them the dark, skulking forest. Gyp hated its stink but crept out anyway. "There he is," he said, pointing with a feathered finger. The Snarf had frozen and was staring at them. "Come here you…nobody needs to get dirty or scuffed."

Rather than taking off immediately in a frenzy of fear, the beast gazed at them, claws flexing. Tug Mug eased his metal legs forward, ticking slowly as a spider that wasn't sure if a fly was caught properly or might break free of its web. The thing stood short and firm, eyes narrowed.

"You're scum." The two words were cold, angry. Tug-Mug took out his arm cannon.

"I should think you'd know better than to come here then."

The Snarf backed away a few steps. "I was going to say the same thing to you," it said. Tug-Mug frowned as Gyp scurried to his specimens, wincing and squawking.

Then the sound of metal colliding with trees and bouncing downhill alarmed him and Tug-Mug turned his cannon up the hill. He managed to fire twice before a great metal orb collided with him, knocking him over and scratching his arm with fierce spikes. It left three lines of purple blood.

Gyp flapped his wings frantically and started to ascend, but the lion shot out of the nearest branches – he'd been sheathed in his cloak and the shadows of the leaves – and grabbed him by his injured ankle, making him shriek and plummet back down. Tug-Mug tried to get up but more of the metal things were coming, and one hit him in the head, dizzying him.

A massive cat – a dark panther – appeared and, with deft surety, tore off one of his legs. Tug-Mug snarled and shot a chunk of ice at him but the panther dodged it and a voice called, "Tear off the other legs! Quick! I'll get the cannon!"

The tiger appeared out of nowhere like a ghost and his whip wrapped around Tug-Mug's arm cannon. He tried to punch the tiger in his smarmy face but the cat yanked it down so the metal cannon hit the ground. The tiger then stamped on it, denting it with his heel. The cat gritted his teeth from the shock of the impact.

Seven cracks later found Tug-Mug flopped on the ground like a de-clawed, de-legged crab. The panther allowed him to sit up and he lunged out only to miss and roll onto his stomach. The cat helped him sit up and put a fist on his hip. "You're defenseless, so quit acting stupid."

Tug-Mug threw Gyp a furious look. "Do something!"

Gyp was wrestling with the lion, trying to claw his stomach with his talons, and the lion was trying to get him into a headlock. Gyp's fingers scrabbled for the Mutation on his belt, but a yellow streak rammed into him, stunning him with its force. The vulture slumped and Tug-Mug cursed to high heaven; the cheetah gave him a haughty look.

"I don't suppose you believe in reaping what you sow?" she asked.

The lion lugged Gyp to his feet, arms gripped tightly. "You guys have those cuffs?"

One of the metal balls had unrolled and Tug-Mug recognized one of the bear people that Red-Eye so enjoyed hunting. He was holding two pairs of manacles, obviously built from some dark ore dug up in the forest. One set was much larger than the other, and these were placed on Tug-Mug by that infernally strong panther. The other set was placed on Gyp.

"You're useless. You had Mutation at your fingertips-!" he spat. Gyp sneered at him.

"Shut up you idiot! You're no better! You got plowed over by robot teddy bears!"

The lion cleared his throat. "All right. As I hope you've noticed, you're outnumbered and captured. If you're willing to assist us with something, you'll remain unharmed…save for arm aches from the cuffs."

Tug-Mug tested the link. It was strong. "You couldn't take me in real combat so you attack from the shadows?"

The cheetah had shrunk the staff down to the size of a toy and was tucking it away. "Says the guy that tries to choke people with freezing air. And after all you've done to the denizens of this forest, I don't think you ought to spit on our good will."

"So you're the champions of the rodents…how very touching. Are you going to go make a case for the rights of butterflies now?" Tug-Mug was considering hocking one right in her face, but the lion was watching him with a calculating, cool eye that belied his friendly speech. "What's it to you? They're animals, our superior wants them, we listen. That's the size of it."

"This superior being Red-Eye?" The panther cracked his knuckles. Gyp's expression was a revolted one. "Look, make this easy and tell us how to open your base."

The tiger had sauntered up to the wall and was examining the gate. "Looks like it wants a code." He pointed at the small, disused number pad under its pristine glass panel. The whole wall seemed white as ice – one reason Tug-Mug liked it so much – and the cat was reflected against its sheer surface in an orange and blue-cloth blob. "Don't you guys use the door from the outside?"

"Considering I can fly and he uses an ice jet, why would we?" He elbowed Gyp, who protested. "What?"

"Don't tell them anything!"

The lion glanced toward the trees. "Guys, you can come out. It's clear." Two kittens crept from the dark underbrush, wily eyes bright.

Tug-Mug watched them idly. "Are you going to torture us for information in front of children? How barbaric. Even for you hairy beasts."

Unfazed, the lion looked at the panther. "I don't suppose you could interrogate them?"

"Berbils will question. We are patient," said one of the bears. Their little mouths set into frowns. "They are bad like Red-Eye."

"That won't be necessary. I know which one will talk." The Snarf was sitting so smugly by the tiger's feet. His lips curled into a smile and he pranced to the boy kitten. "If I'm not mistaken, you have a gift from my tribe, don't you?"

The boy nodded, fishing around in his tunic pocket before withdrawing a leaf-wrapped lump. The Snarf took this and waddled on his hind legs to Gyp. "Let me ask you just once; what is the code to get into the base? If you don't tell me I'll be forced to take rather nasty measures."

Tug-Mug didn't know what to think of this. He'd expected the cats to start cutting them or start a fire to burn them. Then again, Gyp would talk much quicker than he would. Trying him first would be much smarter. But why get in the base? Sure they had a few Snarfs, but it was nothing compared to those Red-Eye had. "Do you think freeing twelve of these cretins will make the tribe happy? Bravo on your victory then," he said.

Gyp laughed, burbling in his throat most birdlike. The Snarf daintily unwrapped the object and Gyp's laughter was drowned in a dismayed squall. "Ugh! Oh, that can't be-"

"Snarf goo-no. Or feces, as a scientist would say." It carefully weighed the lump in its hand – or forepaw – and made sure to keep it nestled in the leaf. The lion and the tiger exchanged glances. "Probably crawling with bacteria, all hiding in the recesses and caveats of its surface."

Tug-Mug then saw their game and scowled. The fact that they wanted to get in was enough; he didn't want them getting in because of it. He sensed some intent about all this. "Don't you dare, Gyp. Just ignore it, it's not like it's fresh."

"No, not quite fresh. It's just been sitting around…bacterial forces crawling on it and breaking it down…" the Snarf trailed off. Gyp's eyes bulged as the little creature stepped closer. "What types of bacteria do you think might be on it, scientist?"

"How can I start to list all the hundreds of bacteria that are in that unwholesome little thing?" Gyp was starting to twitch and Tug-Mug realized he was trembling. Alarmed by this, he elbowed him. "Escherichia coli is only the beginning."

The Snarf held out the lump and Gyp openly screeched like a child. "Either tell us the code or I will crumble it and rain it over you like confetti," he said sharply. "Just imagine the grains being inhaled. Then the bacteria will be inside you, multiplying in your warm innards."

"Gyp, don't-"

"Six-eight-four-nine! Six-eight-four-nine! The rodents are in the nearest storage room! My experiments are in my quarters! Tug-Mug has an ice cube collection in the freezer he thinks I don't know about! I don't care what you want to know, just get that away from me!" Tug-Mug said nothing, fuming and noting that the lion almost seemed sympathetic.

"Put it down, Snarf." The beast obeyed and the panther hauled Tug-Mug and Gyp to the gate as the tiger punched in the code. The door hissed and slid open with relieving yet unwelcome coolness and they entered the base, prisoners in their own home.

* * *

Lion-O could not help but feel some kind of pity for Gyp. Granted being covered in dry poo would be pretty gross, but it was hardly torture to the average person. But the bird was shaking, feathers rustling with the motion, and his scabby, carrion-bird flesh seemed white. He looked ready to faint. "Sit in the middle of the room," he said evenly. The two obeyed and Lion-O entered the first storage room, peering into its darkness and feeling his fur lift in response to the cold of the base.

"Hello?" A chorus of whimpers met his ears and his pity for Gyp lessened quite a bit. He hurried inside and looked into the first cage, a tight metal contraption. The lock required a key, but Lion-O didn't feel like interrogating the two anymore. So he used the Sword of Omens, still in its shortened form, to break the metal. The creature inside perked up slightly. "Don't be afraid, any of you. We're with the Berbils and Snarfs; we've come to shut this base down and rescue you."

Cheetara entered after him and looked into some of the larger cages. There were about three Snarfs in each of these. "Don't worry, we'll have you out soon. Snar-Fer, is that you?"

One of the small ones trilled and Cheetara opened the blades on her staff and pried the thin locks open. Snar-Fer jumped into her arms immediately, as did two of the other babies. "Aw, you guys…hang on and let me get the others out!" Her tail brushed Lion-O's leg as she moved and he glanced at her; the babies were riding on her shoulders and Snar-Fer on her head. He stifled a smile and kept working on his half of the room.

Several Berbils looked inside and clapped. "Hello little Snarfs. We are taking the base at last! It is good to see you." Some of the older Snarfs went to greet them, and the babies frolicked in Cheetara's blond hair.

After all of two minutes every Snarf was freed and prancing for it. The Berbils were in a ring around Tug-Mug and Gyp, and Panthro was watching as well, looming like a stone. Tygra was off looking around, and Lion-O returned to the others with a pleased feeling. "Phase one went very well. Nice job, Tygra."

"It's a burden being so gifted, but it's one I carry." He'd come back with an armful of paper. He gave this to Lion-O. "Gyp said his work was in his room, right? Well, I found notes about Mutation. Take a look."

Skimming the pages, Lion-O tucked a few into his cloak and shredded the rest with his claws. Gyp croaked and he gave the bird a cold look. "You wanted to experiment on the Snarfs?"

"Well…Red-Eye already has. I figured a few more wouldn't matter." Lion-O threw the paper in his face and sighed.

"Let's see about locking these guys up for now. Panthro, did you frisk Gyp for Mutation?"

"Yep. He's clean."

"Okay then. Gyp, Tug-Mug, either of you want to tell me about what Red-Eye's done to the Berbils and Snarfs?" Lion-O leaned on the nearest wall, considering the storage room as a potential cell. Tug-Mug sniffed heartily.

"I hardly know. Red-Eye does what he pleases. He likes chasing those bears for some reason. You'd have to ask him what he did."

Cheetara was busy cuddling the babies and the kittens were poking around down the hall. "I'm sure Red-Eye isn't your main superior though. Care to talk about the head honcho?" she said.

The Luna sneered and said nothing. Lion-O tilted his head. "You're here to work on and synthesize Mutation. And you're using the plants and creatures here to do it. Why would Luna be in a warmer place like this unless you're particularly selected for your abilities? And you're sending this stuff to Tropo."

Tug-Mug blanched. "How did you know that?"

Lion-O shrugged. "Because that's where everything's going. Along with Lune." He didn't want to mention that the Snarfs had said this. "Why settle here in particular?"

Gyp shifted. "It's not really a secret. Certain ingredients grow in certain places better than others. The creatures here were easy to overpower. And it was hidden from Thundera all while resting inside its borders."

Lion-O rested his chin in his hand. "But the superior is secret?"

Gyp shuddered when Snarf yawned and hiked a leg up, as if he were considering peeing in the area. "Well…"

"Oh for the love of…look, we're working for my Ma. Happy?" Tug-Mug shifted against his restraints and Tygra snorted.

"Just what every drug lord dreams of. Do you live in her basement too?"

"She's the head to all of it. And I don't really mind telling you because she'll blow every last one of you outta the galaxy if you mess with her." Lion-O chewed this over as Tug-Mug made a face at him.

"A Luna…so she's in Lune?"

"Of course. She's an important lady."

Panthro grunted. "Look, as interesting as I'm sure your mother is, can we get back to the matter at hand? We need to lock these guys up and move on to phase two of the plan before Red-Eye tries calling them." The Berbils murmured and nodded. Lion-O stood up straight.

"There are several cages in the storage room. We'll use them." He looked at Gyp. "Where are your carriages that ferry the captured Snarfs?"

"Other side of the base, room twenty-seven."

It took a little while to haul the cages and captives down to the other end of the base, but at last they reached the place. Tygra went in and started fiddling with the carriages, little more than mechanical crates on fat, low wheels. "They're on auto-direction. No need for drivers." There were more empty cages in here and they took care to subtly break each lock before setting them on the carriages.

Cheetara paused as they put the last of them up. "What about these guys? What if they have a messenger board to communicate with Red-Eye wherever we lock them?"

"Oh, I'm sure they will. Don't worry, I've got it covered." Tygra and Lion-O inspected the nearest room – another storage one it seemed and Tygra found the message board. He took great pleasure in detaching it from the wall and hunting down any possible weakness in the room. "All right, bring them in." Panthro did so and they sat on the floor looking sullen. "Boys, we'll be back. I hope you enjoy your accommodations as much as your captives enjoyed theirs." Tygra then slammed the door with gusto and figured out how to lock it with a code.

Panthro eyed the door. "We should probably just be rid of them."

Lion-O hesitated. "We might be able to get more information out of them later. And besides, I think it would be better if they faced a trial rather than…"

He trailed off and shook himself. "Look, let's just get ready. Tygra, can you set that thing to start?"

"Absolutely." Tygra returned to the carriage and, after some fiddling, the machine began to hum. He peered at the front, a reflective panel displaying a countdown. "We've got one minute to get in."

Lion-O helped the Berbils into the cages first and then climbed into one himself, experimentally opening and shutting the door. They were hidden in the shadows on the carriages – there were metal flats over the cages to keep them from jostling around – and the door opened easily. "Kat, Kit? I want you to stay behind."

"What?" Kat asked, and Lion-O heard the beginning of a whine.

"You promised to obey orders. And I want someone to look after these Snarfs. They're frightened; take them back to their people. You guys can be our backup in case something goes wrong." At this both kittens seemed appeased and the only sound after this was the clinking of cage doors shutting. Panthro had to cram himself into the largest one.

Kit reached into her pocket and withdrew the cloudy salt crystal and handed this to Cheetara. "Just in case he's really tough," she said somberly. Cheetara ruffled her hair and tucked the rock into her breech pocket.

"Everybody ready?" Lion-O asked.

"Ready!" Snarf was pacing in his cage excitedly. "Just wait, Sarfi-I mean, fellow Snarfs. We'll be there soon."

"And Berbils," Bill added. Lion-O wanted to look at Snarf but at that moment the carriage lurched and the room seemed to open, a seam in the wall sliding to the left to let the carriage roll out. Lion-O spotted the opening of the gate and the walls as the machine carried them off. The kittens waved at them along with the remaining Snarfs, turning away when the distance grew greater.

"What were you going to say Snarf?" Cheetara asked. "What's a Sarfi?"

"Nothing! No one! I just tripped over my words," Snarf said loudly. Tygra looked at Lion-O, who raised his eyebrows in response. The trees went by in bumpy swaths and Lion-O spotted a few Snarfs watching them. The tribe had been waiting. The chief, even with his injuries, sat by the path. Lion-O shot him a thumbs-up and he nodded. Snarf averted his eyes and tucked himself further into his cage, out of Lion-O's range of sight.

It was silent for a while, even after the Snarfs faded into the distance. Lion-O leaned against the back of the cage, bars cold against his shoulders.

"…You've been kind to help these people and my tribe," Snarf said at last. "I suppose I owe you some honesty about a few things. But it's rather personal."

Cheetara shifted in her cage. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"But I should." Snarf paused, very quiet for a second. "All I've said is true; I want to protect my tribe and drive the intruders out. But…um…there's a Snarf in particular that I'm most intent on finding. She was taken."

"'She?'" Tygra asked, brows arching.

Snarf grumbled. "Yes. Her name is Sarfina."

Snarf didn't say anything more and Cheetara clapped and rested her hands under her chin as if delighting in a novel. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"No! But she is the most beautiful and kind of Snarfs, and her eyes shine like the brightest glass. I…I've admired her for a long while." Cheetara made a noise of approval, something like a giggle, and Snarf growled. "Don't get too many romantic notions, Cheetara. She's the chief's daughter. I am a plain, ignoble Snarf that doesn't fit in. I'm only a friend to her."

Lion-O had been grinning until this point. His smile faded against the flat, cold tone. "You don't fit in?"

"Why do you think I wasn't with the tribe when they first met you? My family has a history of being eccentric and we're somewhat of an embarrassment. My great-grandfather left the forest you see, decades ago, and when he came back he had funny ideas and was very learned about other cultures and creatures. He also came back knowing how to fight. This made the tribe think him strange. Which, arguably, he was. His strangeness has passed to me to hear them talk. We are considered very low-ranking in the tribe. Our family is what is called a tail-group, a scout. It is the lowest rank, and we have been this way for as long as I can remember."

"It's a caste system?" Panthro asked, almost alarmed.

"No, no. Not really. There is only the main group of Snarfs, the heads, and the tails. Heads are that way because they are brave and the leaders, and tails…well, you have to have done something rather bad to be labeled that. Or related to someone who did, like an outcast. Great-Grandfather never did say what he did to be banished for a time. We are treated the same as anyone else by most Snarfs, but there is no getting rid of the stigma. When people look at us, they can't help but remember it."

"So they don't even like you? Then why help them so much?" Tygra asked, back against one side of his cage.

"Because they are my people. They may not understand but they have always been as kind and accepting as they can be. Only historians paint a group as black or white. But to attempt to woo an important and intelligent lady…they'd tell tales for generations of the fool Snarf."

"Sounds like you've observed a lot," Cheetara said. "You know history?" Snarf shifted in the cage again.

"My grandfather taught me the value of being still and listening. Much can be learned by observing rather than running away. I used to show the little Snarfs how to scout in the forest. Sometimes Sarfina came to watch and learn. She always seemed so ready to listen." He sighed. "She tried to use the fighting techniques the chief had passed to his descendants to stop Tug-Mug and Gyp. She was one of the first taken, trying to protect the little Snarfs. When I saw them take her, I knew I had to do something. Even if it costs me my life, I will save Sarfina."

Lion-O listened to this and heard Panthro say, "Even though her pop will probably never let you court her? Is being a noble Snarf a big deal?"

"Yes. The future of the chiefhood is incredibly important. Only a Snarf that joins the nobility, for courage or brilliance or usefulness, could have a chance. And her life, freedom, and happiness are much more important than mine. The safety of the whole tribe is much more important than any one Snarf. And if I am to die saving her, that would not be such a bad thing."

Tygra protested with a quiet yowl. "How pessimistic. If you save all the Snarfs you'll be a hero. Surely Os-Wald-O would let you court his daughter if you're the biggest hero in all of…is Snarfdom a word? If she's interested of course."

Snarf shifted. "…The thought has crossed my mind. If I were such a hero I might become a part of the highest nobility of Snarfs."

"Ah-ha. The truth." Tygra seemed amused. Snarf was silent, shamefully so. "What? There's nothing wrong with having several reasons for wanting to help your people. And it's not wrong for you to like this chick. If you care about her this much then the least the chief can do is give you a chance."

"I agree," Lion-O said at last. "I think you need to tell her you like her. Maybe she won't care that you're a misfit. She might just like you back."

"Definitely," Cheetara said. "This is so sweet…Snarf, don't you worry. We'll get them all out. You'll see. It's just like the old fairy tales."

Panthro grunted. "Can we talk about relationship problems after this mission?"

It took another half hour before the lapping of water against the lake's banks reached their ears. Lion-O spotted blue water and tried not to shudder when the rattle of the wheels over a metal bridge started. He didn't dare lean over to look into the depths once the bank fell away. "Bill, you can see better in your spot. What's it look like?"

"The wheels do not set off the lasers like a person would, just as we hoped. The base is big and dark-colored, and we go in the front gate. There seem to be no guards within. Hope that Red-Eye does not personally see to each shipment." Bill sounded quiet, nervous, excited. His long claws were rapping on the metal.

Lion-O managed to see the base before they went in by peeking out just a little. It was a large, tall, thick structure like a massive metal cube. It reminded him of the prison in Dera's Run, only made of pure metal and it had no windows. Its door was open and it wasn't exactly like being swallowed as their craft rolled inside; it was more like being thrown down a long, frigid laundry chute, not knowing if there was going to be a pile of clothing to break his fall or not. The sound of water lapping the flat, polished pathway made him hold gently onto the bars and twitch his tail.

He could see his breath immediately after they rolled in and the gates shut. The cart did not stop, continuing down the hall instead, and Lion-O took the opportunity to examine the home of this superior Luna.

It was dim. He had to squint and wait for his pupils to widen, and even then many things were cast into the shadows of the hall. It was bare of ornaments, plain metal boxing them on every side. "It's so dark," he whispered.

"Red-Eye's eyes are very strong. He doesn't need much light," Bill said. Panthro shushed them and Lion-O's stomach flipped. An enemy that could see in the dark? Not good.

He kept his ears perked and glanced around as the hallway shifted; the carriage had turned. "Its destination is a predetermined spot. There must be something guiding it with signals," Tygra hissed. "Good news is it's probably automatic."

Lion-O would have said something but suddenly they rolled through a door and it stopped, lurching under them and knocking them into the sides of the cages. The silence was almost painful after the rattle of the wheels. "That seems like it was too easy," he said.

Cheetara was the first to creep out, climbing down with a quick, graceful move. She sat on the floor in a crouch, scanning the room. "…No one in here. Let's go."

Helping ten Berbils and Panthro out of the cages was not altogether as silent as Lion-O would have liked, but it was quickly done and Snarf hopped to his shoulder, sniffing. "I think I will be able to find them by smell. This room is just a place for the carriages to be unloaded. By who is the question-"

The sudden banging of a door flying open made the group scatter, diving away from the noise. Lion-O's heart raced, throbbing in his throat, and he held absolutely still. Had he seen them? Could they take him down?

A light clink echoed through the room and a small ray flicked on. It barely missed Tygra's side, and Lion-O heard him slide hastily away. It seemed to shine out of the two little bulbs and lit up the cages. Lion-O's claws tightened on his knees; they were all empty. Snarf clutched at his ponytail hard enough to make his eyes water.

But whatever was shining the light didn't exclaim or pause. It just marched mechanically into the room and picked up a cage in stout, round arms and turned around, carrying the cage out the door. Lion-O turned to his right, Cheetara's stunned eyes meeting his. "Didn't they notice?" she uttered in a breath.

More lights came on, and again a clinking noise sounded as another thing came to pick up a cage. Lion-O saw this happen several times and finally stood up and waved a hand right in the way of the light. Nothing happened, save for the thing turning its head to look at him for all of one second. It only seemed to register that there was an obstruction in its path and kept going.

Before this one could make it out, Cheetara shut the door firmly in its face with the press of a glass button she'd found by rubbing beside the doorframe. It did not sound an alarm or panic, just stood completely still. "Error. Entering standby mode," it said softly.

Snarf poked the being in the leg and Tygra cursed, fumbling around. "There have to be some lights around here somewhere. Even if it's just a little one."

Lion-O took out the Sword of Omens. "I've got an idea. Sometimes when it wakes up it glows. Maybe…"

The jewel in the hilt began emitting a warm red light. The Berbils oohed at this, crowding around him to watch. Everyone relaxed a little but Bill made a sound of despair. "Look!"

The thing – the person – holding the cage was a Berbil. It was engulfed completely in metal, from his head to his feet. The soft snout and muzzle had hardened into the strange alloy, and his eyes were simply glass bulbs. Lion-O felt one Berbil shrink against his side and he held their shoulder, feeling a little sick. "What…what happened?"

Tygra knelt and gently took the creature's cage. Its arms relaxed and it stood stoutly, motionless. Prodding it, Tygra said, "It looks like, whatever Red-Eye did to you guys happened a lot quicker to these guys. Was he one of the ones that were taken a while back?"

Bill nodded, listless. "You see his foot? He's missing a toe. He was called Robearto. Because he was born without it." One little pinkie toe was shorter than the others and Tygra noticed the stump did not seem to affect the flat, metal feet. "He was one of our first ones taken. He was always very kind, and he loved to tend the orchards."

Cheetara took Bill's hand. "I'm so sorry."

Lion-O bit his lip. "Maybe his mind is still in there. Maybe he just can't talk."

Panthro nudged the robot Berbil so he moved to the wall and sat him down like a child sets its doll down in a chair. "We need to take down this Red-Eye fella. If anyone will know exactly what he's done, it'll be him. He might have a way to reverse this."

The Berbil sat without a sound, and Bill took his paw from Cheetara, balling his claws into tiny fists. "Yes. Red-Eye has hurt us and the Snarfs enough. Today we will destroy him." He turned to Snarf, growling. "Can you find the others?"

Snarf was already sniffing at the door. Lion-O opened it for him and herded everyone out before the robot could get up and leave. "I'm getting…getting…fur. Snarf fur. Wherever the Snarfs are, the Ro-Bear Berbils can't be too far. Nor can Red-Eye."

"Then lead the way, Snarf. Everybody stick together and keep an eye out for anything weird." Lion-O held out the Sword to light the way and everyone followed him into the red light, hot on the heels of a searching Snarf.

* * *

Snarf had never known love before he knew Sarfina. Certainly he'd loved his family, his mother especially. In spite of her terrible choice in naming him. But romantic love or even the love of admiration had not crossed his busy, clever mind growing up. Every other Snarf began mooning after someone and often became mates and settled down.

Great-Grandfather dismissed this. "You are made for venturing. And you're still far too young to worry about finding a mate. You've a better head on your shoulders than those young ones do. Come, let me tell you a tale of mystery from the north."

He'd loved those stories. Nothing swayed his passion for seeing the world outside the forest himself someday. Even when Great-Grandfather finally died and his mother urged him to look for a mate and a respectable position as a scout in the Snarf community to raise himself from their shameful position, he only scouted and taught the young ones because he reasoned that if he helped the tribe the chief might one day permit him to leave.

Without the whole banishment thing. Which had been why Great-Grandfather had left in the first place. Snarf never found out what he'd done to warrant being banished for thirty years and being labeled a tail-level in a very nearly casteless society, but he got the feeling it had something to do with a Snarf being shaved, a Berbil's chimney, a forest fire being set, and one too many pieces of Candyfruit.

Nobody ever said. And he assumed that the Snarf tribe was just not meant for him. He taught the young scouts what he knew to pass on the useful knowledge he had so he could one day leave and the tribe wouldn't be impoverished by losing him. It probably wouldn't have been either way.

And then Sarfina came along, and his insides turned into wiggly, electric, terrified mush. His tail curled into knots, the smell of her fur made his whiskers tingle. It had started out a crush on a very beautiful Snarf lady. This was a normal thing, and Snarf found it charming enough that he didn't try to escape it. Nothing would come of it, right?

But the impossible had happened. She had started talking to him when she led the scouts back home and helped him look after the youngest trainees. And he had glimpsed a beauty of heart that had made his knees knock even harder. She was witty and sweet, and her kind way had stolen his heart. His satire and occasional introspection were levied and examined by her curious way. Rather than ignoring his questions she sought to answer them, or she was willing to talk about the strange things he thought. Willing to hear the crazy stories with an excited little dimple in her cheek.

He was no longer crushing; he'd fallen into a slippery chasm, something very jarring to his logical nature, into the deep, dangerous well of love.

He'd tried to stop Tug-Mug from taking her. She'd been clawing the flabby face and been grabbed and carried away like a damsel in the arms of a rogue. Only it wasn't like a foolish fairy tale because the rogue wasn't dashing, he was evil, and he wouldn't woo her, he'd destroy her. Snarf had seen red, all red, all hate at that moment. But he'd only choked on the cold and seen the Luna shrink away into the sky, and listened to the agonized cries of the Snarf tribe wailing their loss.

That was when the watching started. And it all culminated at this point.

His nose was sensitive enough to distinguish old Snarf smell and new Snarf smell. Through the winding corridors they trailed, always comforted by the red glow. Snarf had, of course, heard of the Sword of Omens and the legacy it blazed through history. But that a young lion carried it concerned him. Didn't it belong to the king of Thundera?

Perhaps it was divine intervention. Someone who could wield the Sword of Omens could defeat Red-Eye certainly. Had the Creator sent him a miracle with which to save his people? Snarf's toes curled in nervousness and he snuffled against the ground, catching a new whiff. "We're close."

"Good. We've been walking for twenty minutes. I think this base extends underground because the ground is slanting a little," Tygra hissed. "We might be under the lake by now. It sounds like water." Time had no meaning for Snarf, but he was surprised to note that his feet did feel as if they'd been prowling a while. Lion-O twitched and Snarf spared him a look; he was strangely uneasy. "Can you show us the way?"

Snarf darted down the hall, claws pattering, and he heard the delicate clicks of claws after him. Large metal doors like those of a warehouse stood to either side, and they reflected the red light like melted mirrors. "This one! There are Snarfs here!" he whispered, pawing at one, skidding on his hind legs to stop. Lion-O nudged him slightly and began looking for a handle.

Finding a metal lever, Lion-O pulled it and the door slid into the wall. They waited, holding their breath, until Snarf crept through the door and Lion-O extended his arm with the Sword lighting the way.

"Is anyone there?" Snarf called softly. No one replied. He waved the cats through, aware of the Berbils waiting wisely outside as sentries. The floor was cold under his toes and it seemed to stretch on for a ways to a railing. Reaching this, Snarf looked down and realized this was a spot for viewing and overseeing workers.

For down below there were hundreds of Snarfs, all of them sitting by conveyor belts with bottles of green liquid before them. Lights swung dimly from the ceiling, and it was a relief to be able to see again. Lion-O's jaw dropped and Snarf's heart felt faint; alive. All of these were alive.

With their tiny, clever hands, about half of the room seemed to be depositing glass beakers of powder – perhaps the plants and minerals had been dried and ground – into the bottles and the other half took the bottles and mixed them fiercely until the powder completely dissolved. Then they corked each bottle and placed it on what looked like a steel trolley being pulled by four Snarfs. They were harnessed to it and kept making trips out of the room, possibly to a cooler if their shivering was not from fear.

The clink and clang of machinery shook Snarf from his awe and he realized all of them looked exhausted. Tails slumped, eyelids drooped, and sometimes a Snarf would stumble and catch itself. Lion-O was watching a corner of the room. "Look at the little ones," he said fiercely. Several kits were in some kind of pen, each one running on one massive wheel that seemed to be shaped like the grindstone of a mill. They were grinding the dried plants, Snarf realized. When one stumbled out, exhausted, another hopped in to take its place.

"Sarfina!" Snarf's voice was hushed and the others looked down, following his pointing. There were a few Snarfs with what looked like saddles strapped to their backs walking among the ranks, and this one had two buckets of water on her, one for each flank. She would wait for the workers to pause and drink before moving on, and when she ran out she returned to a pump in the corner of the room and refilled them. She looked haggard, slumping, and Snarf hissed. "My people will not be Red-Eye's slaves any longer!"

"We will destroy this enemy together," Bill murmured, and Snarf saw that there were Berbils running the greater machines on the same level as their overlook. If the robotic Berbils noticed them they didn't show it. They stared straight ahead, fingers flickering over circuit boards and control panels. Snarf shot Bill a savage look of approval. "What do we do now?"

"Well, I wish we knew where Red-Eye was. I don't want any innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire when we take him down," Lion-O said. "I think we need to round up the Snarfs first. The Berbils are running things, and we don't want Red-Eye coming in because he hears the machinery stopping. Tygra, scout out the room from the floor. Panthro, you're defense. If he shows up, protect the Snarfs and Berbils. Cheetara, you're fast, so you can carry Snarfs a few at a time to the exit once we get a door open. Berbils, you help Panthro with defense." Lion-O put out an arm and Snarf climbed onto it. "Let's get down there."

But the clatter of a door opening derailed this rather nice plan; every Snarf down below froze, hair rising. Everyone got down again and Lion-O muttered something in irritation, dimming the light of the Sword of Omens. The lights of the room dimmed too, controlled by a Berbil across the overlook.

There was just enough light to make out the figure walking into the room. He was tall and thin, skin pale and scabby. Barbaric breeches – torn at the edges and darkly colored – concealed his legs, and he wore nothing on his torso save for a pendant in the shape of a white crescent moon. Snarf squinted; two rows of short, curved gray horns roved over the bald head and beneath thick brows were the two great, moist red eyes that gave the Luna his name. They were large and round, and his face was distorted around them as if making room for them was nearly impossible.

He made no sound at all except for the rattling noise of air entering his serpentine nostrils, scanning the room. No Snarf dared to breathe. Bare, quiet feet padded on the floor as Red-Eye examined the conveyor belts, inspecting the Mutation.

One Snarf, barely able to sit up, fell over in exhaustion, nudging a bottle and tipping it. The shattering of glass and the wet slop of spilled liquid was so loud it echoed in that silent room. Even one of the robotic Berbils seemed to flinch. Cheetara covered her mouth with one hand.

Red-Eye looked at the dripping bottle and the now very awake, very frightened Snarf. It looked ready to be sick. "I…I'm sor-"

One massive hand scooped up the Snarf and it started to scream. The noise made their ears tear, and Snarf gritted his teeth. What would Red-Eye do? Torture him? Throw him? "No, no!"

Red-Eye's mouth opened suddenly, wide and stretchy. His nostrils opened and seemed to sniff, and he tilted his head back, holding the Snarf by the scruff of his neck. That mouth seemed to stretch big enough to fit a Snarf inside it and Red-Eye began to lower the creature into it.

He was going to swallow him.

Snarf wasn't sure what happened after that. It seemed that Lion-O hurled himself over the railing and Cheetara followed, and then Tygra as well. Tygra used his whip to grab the Snarf around the belly and whisked him out of Red-Eye's grasp, and Lion-O delved in and struck the figure with the flat of his blade. And Cheetara moved so quick that she might have punched him six times before catching the Snarf wrapped in the end of the whip, keeping him from hitting the floor.

Panthro took the stairs. He carefully pulled out various wiring from the control panels, deactivating each one with a leisurely tug. The Berbils followed him, gathering their fellows with tugs and murmurs.

Red-Eye fell back without a word, not even blinking. The Snarfs erupted in sounds of shock and darted away from his form as he fell with a crash into another conveyor belt. Lion-O held the Sword of Omens and pointed it at Red-Eye's throat. "Red-Eye, your operation here is finished. You'll never harm another Snarf or Berbil. Surrender and we'll see that you get a fair trial."

The Snarf in Cheetara's arms wrapped his forelegs around her neck, shivering, and the other Snarfs were whispering and bunching together. Snarf's tail lashed as Bill said, "Put out his eyes, quickly!"

Lion-O hesitated. "Wait, what-?"

Too late. Red-Eye lifted his head and Snarf could see the delicate, pale veins in his eyeballs bulge like muscles. The air smelled like heat and he instinctively covered his head. "Get down!"

Lion-O ducked just in time; red hot light screamed out in a beam where he'd just been and he rolled backward to put distance between himself and the Luna. Red-Eye slowly got up, nose still whistling. "What the heck was that!?" Lion-O yelled, looking behind him. The metal in the wall where the beam had struck was sizzling like lava, broken, burning edges a dull red around a hole.

Bill came rolling down the stairs, spikes flared, and Red-Eye turned and his eyes bulged again. Snarf saw it better this time; light flared like flame out of the centers, like a concentrated laser, and Bill would have been incinerated if he'd been flesh alone.

The metal sizzled but Bill still made contact, jabbing against Red-Eye's side. The Luna grunted and held his hip, blood trickling down from the scratches. Bill unrolled and ducked into a crouch, claws bared. "Red-Eye has magic that makes hot light come from his eyes."

"You guys didn't think that was important to know?" Tygra yelled, grabbing two Snarfs as Red-Eye looked at him. He jumped to the side, barely avoiding being smoked. "Snarf, why didn't you say something?"

Bill blinked as he rolled aside, cartwheeling. "We didn't know you didn't know." Snarf had had his suspicions about Red-Eye's eye abilities, but he hadn't realized what "strong eyes" had meant until now. He shook his head helplessly, cursing his ignorance.

Now that Red-Eye was up and, if his flared nostrils meant anything, angry, he was firing the hot rays every second or so. Between the fleeing Snarfs and the glass shattered across the floor, the cats were limited in their motion and Snarf raced in, herding his people out of the way. "Move, move! They're trying to fight!"

Cheetara alone was unfazed by this ability because she could move much faster than Red-Eye could move his head and bulge his eyes. However her fellows could not move so quickly and this sent them ducking and rolling to avoid the beams of light. Cheetara sprinted in for a blow and back out again, but every time she wondered if the beam would hit someone. The Snarfs were trying to avoid them but there was only so much room.

Then Bill and his Berbils attacked the door Red-Eye had entered through. The clatter was deafening as they struck it and after a few seconds Cheetara looked up to see that they'd torn it open. "Go Snarfs, go!" she called. They didn't need to be told twice, and the hundreds of Snarfs crammed through the door in a matter of seconds. "All right," she muttered, "now that there's room…"

Red-Eye had blasted at Lion-O twice when Cheetara plowed in, staff a whirl of light. Every time it connected she imagined one more little Snarf and Berbil that he'd hurt and – as she now realized with a sick twist in her stomach – probably eaten. He kept missing her as she sprinted, too quick to hit, and his grunts of angry pain pleased her in a vicious way. That's what you get, monster, she thought.

Even Cheetara needed a reprieve. She retreated back several feet, aware that Lion-O had been clipping the Luna in the back with the Sword of Omens, never quite able to get close enough for a deep slice in spite of his precise, perfect cuts. Red-Eye always seemed to turn just in time to nearly sear him, the smell of burnt hair driving her fists and feet into attacks. "Tygra," she yelled, "do your thing!"

He nodded and flicked his wrist, whip tangling around him and he disappeared. He was very good at attacking silently, and Cheetara bared her teeth; one good blow to the head should knock Red-Eye out.

But Red-Eye looked up and bulged his eyes at seemingly nothing. The awful smell of burning hair intensified and Tygra reappeared, screaming and holding his shoulder. "Tygra!" Lion-O called. He gritted his teeth and swung the Sword of Omens.

It flared with light and lit up the room in a cold red wave. Red-Eye screamed for the first time, covering his fat eyes with his hands and kicking out. Cheetara sprinted to Tygra, still clutching his shoulder, and Panthro helped him up. The panther had not attacked for some reason, but Cheetara saw many wires in his hands; he'd been busy picking the machines apart. Panthro strode forward, lugging Tygra along. "Come on, fall back!" She obeyed, staring at the place where Tygra's arm was smoking and wanting to turn around and pierce both eyes of the Luna.

Lion-O was right behind her and, as if sensing her feelings, took her arm. "We'll be back. We need to form a plan," he whispered urgently. Red-Eye was bellowing, and a beam of heat rushed over them every few seconds. He'd recover soon, and even half-blind he was still lethal.

Cheetara and Lion-O crossed through the door and took off after Panthro and Cheetara heard Snarf slapping his palm against a door control panel. Pausing, she rushed back and waited for the door to shut. Then she lengthened her staff, whirled it in her hands to build up a charge, and jabbed the control panel with the blades. It shorted out, crackling and spitting sparks. "That'll slow him down," she spat, grabbing Snarf under her arm. Then she followed the others, anger increasing with every footstep.

When Panthro finally stopped it was easy to see why; the hundreds of Snarfs were bundled together in a small corridor, unable to find the exit. He set Tygra down and immediately pulled away the tiger's sleeve. "…It's not bad. He missed everything but the skin."

Cheetara knelt, staring at the weal on Tygra's arm, furious scarlet. That wasn't bad? She hated to think of what wounds the panther would give pause for. Lion-O bit his lip looking at it and Cheetara couldn't help but think of how much he hadn't wanted them to come along. Now she knew why.

The red wound sobered her as nothing else had. Tygra had been hurt, and he could have been killed. Somehow this made her feel cold and rational, and she glanced over her shoulder. "He could see through Tygra's invisibility."

"Red-Eye sees all things." One of the Snarfs spoke, eyes hollow. "You were brave and stupid to try to save us. But now he'll devour us all. That might be better than wasting away in the dark."

Snarf hissed. "No! Fernald, don't you know me?" The Snarf – Fernald apparently – looked at him in wonder. "I brought them, and they have the help of the Berbil tribe! Our tribe asked for their help and I joined them so we could leave this place! One lost battle does not lose a war."

"Osbert? What are you doing here? This is no place for a scout."

Snarf cringed and Tygra – eyes glazed with pain as Panthro dealt with his wound, tending it with his own water canteen and strips of bandage Lion-O had on his person – laughed faintly. "Osbert huh? Yeah, I can see why you'd hate that." He panted once when the bandages were tied and Cheetara clutched at her staff. She had told him to turn invisible, assuming it would work. She was partly responsible.

Not to mention dragging him along on this venture in the first place. Cheetara realized Lion-O was looking everyone over, including her, for burn marks. He had his own share of singed places, small burns. "Has he eaten many Snarfs?"

"Ten. Anyone who makes a mistake is consumed." Lion-O's face paled and Cheetara saw fear in every glittering eye. "We work all day and night making the bottled liquid. We smell black magic on him like blood."

Cheetara gathered some of the little ones into her lap, feeling their skin twitch. They were petrified, pale, and thin lumps of hair sloughed off in her hands. They were shedding with terror. "Is he a warlock? What has he done to the Berbils?"

"He cursed them with a talisman. He received it when he first came here. He didn't make it himself," one murmured. She bundled them close, willing her warmth to spread into their tiny bodies. "He wears it around his neck. It allows him to control the ones near him covered in metal, and speeds the spread of the metal over time."

"The pendant? The moon one?" Lion-O was holding the Sword of Omens and the Berbils all made excited sounds when he tightened his grip on the hilt. "I can see why you guys have struggled against him so much. He's tough. But it's time he picked on someone his own size," he said. "If we take out his eyes we take out his power. Did you say Red-Eye didn't make the curse himself? Do you know who did?"

The Snarfs shook their heads. "It came in a box and he never speaks. Perhaps a fellow in the trade?" Cheetara saw Snarf's ears slide back in sudden shyness; the one speaking was Sarfina. She looked at him with pretty green eyes and smiled. Unlike the male Snarfs, her facial fur was light pink and creamy white, in spite of the dirt on it. "I knew you'd find a way to help us, Osbert. You've always been one of the cleverest Snarfs."

Cheetara would have giggled if the smell of Tygra's burnt hair wasn't making her feel sick. But the tiger was moving better, scowling. "I've been hurt worse, it just smarts. I'll feel better as soon as I punch Red-Eye into next week. I don't need to be invisible to do that."

Lion-O listened intently for any sounds in the hall. Red-Eye was not coming yet, if Cheetara's ears were as good as his. "How could Red-Eye see Tygra? Do any of you know?"

"His eyes are strong. That's all we know." Lion-O seemed to file this away and examined the Sword of Omens. There was very little light save for what it shed, and its reddish glow shone off the Snarf eyes. "How can you stop him when all he has to do is look at you and you're cooked by hot light?"

Lion-O tilted the Sword of Omens wearily and the eye beam from a metal Berbil caught it, bouncing off the blade and flickering against the wall. Pausing, he tilted it again and watched the light ricochet. He looked at Cheetara, expression suddenly crafty. "I've got an idea. But it's going to require speed and some excellent timing. And possibly the gift from the Snarfs."

She grinned. "You're speaking my language."

* * *

"I think I might be able to get loose in a minute or two. Ooch…it's good I was coming up on a molt anyway." Gyp winced, squeezing his fingers through his cuffs a little further. "Ah, ah…ow! My fingers are out of joint!"

"That's the point, idiot." Tug-Mug was watching hungrily, waiting. If Gyp could get his hands free he could undo Tug-Mug's bonds. He was deprived of his weapons, but Tug-Mug had always been strong. Opening the door would be easy if these manacles were off. "Keep pulling."

Gyp gritted his beak and with one final squawk he suddenly rolled a little. "I'm loose…ow, ow, ow." Flexing his fingers the bird headed to the door, the manacles still dangling from one wrist. "This thing is locked. The tiger used the keypad to seal it." He returned to Tug-Mug and began picking at the manacles with this feather fingers. "The Berbils made these."

"I'll give them this, they're good craftsmen." Tug-Mug had tried to free his fat hands but only now with Gyp fiddling with them did he feel the metal sliding loose. It sliced a deep cut into the back of his hand but the blood was slick and he freed himself with a gasp. "There! Move away from the door. You've got Mutation stashed in your lab?"

"Yes. They'll be sorry they messed with us. Threaten me with fecal matter will they?" Gyp hopped from foot to foot as Tug-Mug began banging on the door. Tug-Mug nearly rolled, the smooth bottom of his metal device wobbling with the force of his blows. Gyp grunted, pushing his back so he was steady, and Tug-Mug felt the metal start giving way.

The door split at last, crashing away from its opening, and Gyp darted around Tug-Mug, letting him roll in favor of sprinting for his lab. "Hey! Oh, who cares?" Tug-Mug began to pull himself around like a blubbery seal. "I know I've got an extra pair of legs around here…"

Gyp already stood in the hallway with a green vial in his hand. His beady eyes were focused on it like a prospector on a jewel. "I'll pick off every last one of them. The cats and those filthy Berbils. And then I'll snatch up every Snarf they freed. They've been thorns in our sides…I'll eat them and cow them for the last time. Their people will never believe they were ever free." With this ominous note he stabbed himself in the arm with the needle of the vial, pushing the plunger and throwing the empty vial recklessly away.

Tug-Mug watched this speculatively. "You know, this is a rather small hall to Mutate in."

Gyp made an embarrassed, nervous noise in his throat and took off running for the door. Tug-Mug kept dragging his body around, listening to the crash of stumbling talons enlarging, a large body hurling itself out of the exit. "I'll let you deal with the cats for now. If Red-Eye leaves you any ashes to kick around." Tug-Mug found a drawer in his own quarters – it was most like a freezer, a thin sheet of ice covering the counters and walls – and began pulling frigid metal from it and attaching it to his machine. "One of these days I'm going to figure out a better way of morphing between forms…"

The bird was not as large as Slithe had been, but measuring with his fingers told Wilykat that Gyp was as long wingtip to wingtip as a large tent, and the shriek that echoed over the forest made his ears flick.

Two little Snarfs huddled behind his ankles and an older one whispered, "The demon bird. He shows his form at last."

"I bet he'll head for the lake base and wait for the others to come out," Wilykit said. She was holding Snar-Fer and his behind hung from her arms like a rag doll, her arms gentle under his forelegs. "Can't we warn them?"

"I don't think so. We don't even know if they can stop Red-Eye or not." Kat scratched his head. "Gyp's not too tough. I'll bet we could take him, y'know?"

His sister glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "…You serious?"

"Hear me out. Slithe was bigger, stronger, and smarter. Gyp was a wimp when Tygra fought him earlier, and just because he's got some Mutation in him doesn't mean he's suddenly invincible. Not to mention if the others are hurt, the last thing they'll need is an overgrown turkey attacking them when they come out. We're the backup after all." Kat's eyes followed the circular motion of the great bird. He was swooping in low arcs over the trees, and sitting where they were it was hard to tell what might be below him, so Kat stood up and stretched. A tree branch was not the most comfortable place for one's bottom either.

All of a sudden the bird dove and the sound of talons on metal rang over the trees. He came into view again, soaring high to dive again. Whatever he was attacking, it was big and stationary.

"How would we get Gyp to come after us?" Kit asked thoughtfully. Kat shrugged.

"Still thinking about that."

For a few moments they watched and then Kit clapped. "If he saw us, I bet he'd try to attack." Kat gave her a disturbed look. "But what he won't be expecting is an ambush. Just like with him and Tug-Mug earlier."

"Would he be stupid enough to fall for a second one?"

"If we get some help he will. Come on, I've got a plan." She slid down the trunk, out of the tree, and Kat followed with the rescued Snarfs in tow, descending into the dark of the forest.

* * *

Red-Eye had never disappointed the Lady yet, and he didn't intend to start now.

Some might have hated her for all she'd done. He didn't. The abilities had served him well and he was nothing if not grateful. Much had to be given for much to be received. The world was vibrant even in the blackest darkness, every corner crisply defined.

The Lady would keep the darkest darkness from coming. It was the only hope, and Red-Eye scanned his surroundings and sniffed. His nose was not the most sensitive, but that many filthy animals together let out an incredible stench. He prowled hungrily to the left, listening and staring straight ahead.

The crescent on his chest bounced. It was a beautiful thing, wrought from the ore of the moon the Luna had once called home and infused with metal and sorcery. The Lady was a greater witch than he was warlock; his gift was seeing. Her power was exponentially further developed in every way. Women tended to do that, push further than men. His mother had been a fearsome thing. But how long ago was that? He'd lost track of the centuries.

The Berbils loathed him, but that they had become brave enough to attack him was amusing. Having these cats along had made them bold. Red-Eye enjoyed very little, but chasing and fighting these bears…it was like the old days, hunting in the tundra. Back when night skies had been dark green and days had been blackish blue, far out in the cold recesses of space. Back when they hunted bears three times their size and ate on the carcasses for weeks.

Perhaps that was why he hadn't minded when the curse also made them stronger. It was like fighting those great claws again. Red-Eye smelled something unusual and turned his head. The group was close now. He could smell their fear and the bits of shedding fur.

"Hey."

A woman. He flexed his eyes but she was gone already, and he exhaled noisily. She was fast, very fast, and moved like the wind curling around his blows and disappearing in a moment. Disappearing around a corner, Red-Eye considered following her. None of the others would be able to avoid him for long, but the Berbils might be able to tolerate the beams longer than they. Flesh creatures burned to bits with just a glance, but he had made a good sport of the bears.

She was taunting him. The woman sprinted back, kicked him in the stomach, and was out of the way by a hair when his gaze followed. His lip curled and he followed her; he'd never yet experienced a trap that he couldn't get out of. Nothing, not even cold metal, could stop him forever.

The tiger had been hurt, and this had prevented them from moving far. Not to mention the mass of Snarfs they had tried to free. Red-Eye did not get much taste from anything, but they were a good source of protein.

Cowing them had been so easy. The tribe feared him, all but this new little beast with the cats. Red-Eye would eat him in front of the others as an example.

As he rounded the corner the woman returned, striking and ducking and whirling. He guarded his eyes with the light and by raising his arms, taking the swift, small, bruising blows. She did not retreat now, dancing around him to attack over and over again.

It was making him angry.

He pursued her when she darted back, nostrils working wildly to find the Snarfs and other cats. If he attacked them she would have to stop, lest her avoiding his eyes led to someone being cooked alive. So intent upon cornering her was he that he didn't realize she was leading him until it was too late.

He almost stopped though, and even though she called insults at him he gave her a cold, mistrustful look. She scowled, prodding him with the staff and he merely continued firing, heat searing the walls and missing her by inches. Red-Eye didn't move forward even an inch.

That was when she crushed something in her hand and threw a crumbling stone at him.

Salt, salt confound it! It burnt his flesh like acid and his eyes began to stream to rid them of the granules. Red-Eye roared and ran after her, firing and cursing in his mind when he continued to hear her feet after the explosions, never stopping or halting in pain. He'd get her for this in spite of his blurry eyes. The flesh-devouring stone was the greatest enemy of all Luna, and he hated it with all he had. The only thing that would feel worse than this would be falling in the salty ocean. Why did this planet have such shocking salt reserves…?

It was when he heard two Berbils behind him that he realized he was being penned in. Red-Eye shot furious rays at them but they simply curled in on themselves, ducking from his attacks and the alloy bouncing away what little made contact on the unpredictable, round surfaces. The discomfort didn't seem to bother them, and the cheetah's fists and kicks kept coming. Roasting her would be a pleasure if he could only get a good hit.

She had finally stopped for a moment to catch her breath and Red-Eye whirled, eyes flaring. But no, curse her, she moved again-!

The lion stood several feet back, behind where she'd been. And he'd raised his sword grimly. Red-Eye curled his lips; he would destroy the lion first then.

But the lion angled the flat metal, moving it up an inch and into the range of his blast. The heat seemed to sear his hands and Red-Eye saw him wince. He expected the ray to splinter as it did on the Berbil metal, burning off the lion's hands while it went.

The blaze came bouncing back in a whiplash of light, and Red-Eye had enough time to consider the cleverness of this ruse before his eyes erupted in agony and he hit the ground, screaming and curling up in a ball. He hid his face under his stomach, seeing nothing but darkness. Was he blind? Oh if the pain would stop he wouldn't care if he never saw again; it felt like his eyeballs were being cooked. The pain of the salt vanished like a cloud, engulfed in this greater wave.

He finally flopped onto the floor, stunned and only half-conscious, a newfound hatred for cats burning in his heart and in his eyes.

* * *

"Okay. It might just be the pain in my arm, but that seemed really, really cool to me." Tygra found that leaning on the cold wall was strangely agonizing and soothing all at once. He could feel heat radiating from his skin into the metal and had to keep shifting slightly to keep cooling his bandage. He pretended the cold was like a healing mist, smoothing the weal where it touched. "Light bounces off reflective surfaces…very nice page boy. A little physics?"

"More of a lucky guess based on something learned in physics. It's good his eyes' power was based on light after all instead of just heat, or we'd be in trouble." Lion-O winced and blew on his hands. The Sword of Omens seemed dimly lit by the amazing heat and he finally just sheathed it. "I doubt it killed him. We need to question him."

"Seems like it should have been harder," Cheetara said slowly. The Berbils and Snarfs crept around the hall corners, awed at the sight of their great foe so easily felled. "I guess one enemy isn't so tough on his own. We'll have to thank the Snarfs for their gifts."

Bill tramped out from the next hall. He'd wanted to help but Lion-O had asked him to stay behind in case things went wrong to protect the Snarfs. Brazenly, he went right up to Red-Eye and prodded him. "He is alive."

Tygra rubbed his upper arm and scowled. "Yeah. At least he got some of his own medicine." Lion-O rolled the figure over and began to inspect him. "Ugh, doesn't he have any eyelids?"

"Looks like they were…removed. A long time ago." Lion-O sounded nauseous and Tygra was almost sorry he'd asked. "I don't think he was born like this. He looks distorted. See the old scarring around his eyeballs?" Sitting the figure up, Lion-O looked at Bill. "Another set, please."

Bill produced another pair of manacles from one of his fellows and brought it to the lion. Securing the Luna, Lion-O shook his shoulder. "Come on, wake up. We have some questions for you."

It took a minute for Red-Eye to stir, and another minute for them to realize he was actually awake. His eyes didn't look burnt or damaged, but the two slightly darker dots that served as his pupils – there were no irises, or perhaps they covered all the whites of his eyes back to the place where they burst from his skull – were unresponsive even when Lion-O put the glowing Sword very close. "Red-Eye, you have crimes to answer for. You've kept innocent people as slaves to take part in a drug trade producing illegal goods in Thundera and working with other criminals." Lion-O paused. Red-Eye had tried to fire experimentally and when the eyes twitched he suddenly groaned. Red-Eye was in real pain. "Hang on."

He drew a length of soft white bandage cloth from his belt and slowly wrapped the straps around Red-Eye's eyes. "Ordinarily you ought to close your eyes to help them heal, but I guess that's impossible for you." Tygra shook his head at this move but Red-Eye stirred. "Anyway, we've taken you prisoner. If you want to put yourself in the best position possible, tell us how to stop the curse on the Berbils and as much as you know about the Mutation trade. We'll see you get medical attention later."

Panthro crossed his arms. "I don't know that he deserves it after what he's done to the Berbils and Snarfs."

Lion-O nodded. "He probably doesn't. And he shouldn't really have to have a trial. But we'll give him these because we're going to take the high road. I hope that's all right," he added, glancing at Bill.

The Berbils sighed. "We are not barbarians. If we are saved from our fates and he faces a court, we will not stand in the way." His soft eyes darkened at the sight of the crescent pendant. "That thing has caused our grief. I would destroy it now if it would lift the curse."

Cheetara slipped it off Red-Eye's neck and held it gingerly by the strap. "Does he have a study or a work area? An office?"

Sarfina approached warily, staring at this figure that had tormented her people for months and now seemed so compliant and defeated. "There is a place. He keeps a console in there, and a workbench. Sometimes Snarfs had to deliver reports on the day's work to him there. They didn't always come back, but we all knew the way. It's in the deepest part of the base."

Tygra took great pleasure in forcing the Luna to his feet. "A man's office is a good place for an interrogation." Lion-O seemed uneasy in the face of this. He turned to the horde of Snarfs.

"Go to the main entrance and wait for us there. I hate to make you wait, but we have to try to help the Berbils. We'll find a way over the road soon." The Snarfs muttered in agreement and a few bowed reverently or rolled onto their backs to display their bellies in respect. Lion-O silently bowed in the Imperial way, hand on his chest.

Bill stood before him. "I will go with you. My people will go with the Snarfs to help them. If anything attacks, they will guard them with their lives." He turned his head and gazed at Red-Eye with steely determination. "Let us look for information."

Sarfina led the way hesitantly, pausing every so often to sniff the ground and rest one hind leg. The first time she whimpered Snarf drew up close and examined her paw. "Sarfina, your leg is hurt!" he exclaimed. Tygra looked at the burnt fur and rubbed his own arm in sympathy. "Did this foul creature burn you?"

"Just a little. It was to make me move faster a few days ago." She lifted her foot experimentally. "It stings is all. It's healing."

Snarf, quite gently, began bathing her ankle with his tongue, and Sarfina cocked her head. "Hang on," Tygra muttered, tugging a little excess cloth from his bandage and kneeling. After Snarf had licked the spot clean and cool, Tygra tied the cloth on. "That should help."

"Thank you." She nodded at Tygra and then returned her pretty eyes to Snarf, who was suddenly very interested in his own feet. Tygra tried not to grin when she said, "Thank you, Osbert," a little more shyly. Her ears tilted fetchingly. Perhaps Snarf's luck was better than he'd thought.

Red-Eye didn't make a sound as he stumbled along blindly, Lion-O leading him by holding the manacles and following Sarfina down, down into the base's lowest, deepest level. When at last she sniffed at a door and placed a dainty paw on it, she said, "This is it. I think the code is four-five-one." Lion-O tried these numbers and the door slid open, and he led Red-Eye to a spot on the carpet. To his revulsion it was made of what looked like Snarf hide. Cheetara muttered something like a prayer to herself and Snarf glared at the blinded foe.

"Whoa, look at all this." The room seemed to be made of equal parts metal and ice and glass, nearly pitch black. Lion-O had to lift the Sword so they could see and he grimaced. "There has to be a light. In case someone else came here." Red-Eye made a sound at last, grunting and pointing in a vague direction around the door they'd entered through. Cheetara felt around it and found the smallest switch and flicked it. Instantly a soft light came on from glass bulbs overhead. It wasn't much but compared to darkness it was as welcome as a summer sun. "Thank you, I suppose," Lion-O said, eying the Luna. He didn't reply.

"Why don't you talk?" Tygra asked. Red-Eye turned in his direction, the bandages rustling over his eyes. In answer he opened his mouth and Tygra's hackles rose. Red-Eye had no tongue, and the black stitches – ancient, fused into his gums – glistened with his saliva where the back of it should have been. The tiny nub that remained shifted. "What in the…?"

Cheetara shuddered. He stared at her. "It's forbidden to dabble in the dark arts for a reason, Tygra. The stories talk about giving up something for power. The ability to speak for the power of incredible sight? Sounds right up the alley of the ancient sorcerers. He wasn't born with these abilities."

"Looks like he's written a fair bit anyway," Panthro said. Pulling open a cabinet, he'd tugged loose several books and started thumbing through them. "Might have what we're looking for. Considering I don't think he'll be able to tell us by speaking." There were many counters and metal doors covering shelves, and each one seemed to contain more tomes and notes.

"Recordings too. Old messages?" Lion-O asked. He scooped up a small box that rattled with the chips inside. "I bet we can put these in the console here to listen to them." These he slipped into a pouch on his belt for later and picked up a volume instead.

Tygra opened the nearest book and started skimming its pages. "All lists of Mutation experiments…chemicals, ingredients, failed attempts at altering it…I think I'll keep this." He hunted until he found something that could serve as a pack – a bag with what looked like a microscope inside would serve well he decided – and tossed the volume inside. "I think I'll take that too, actually. Always did want to play scientist."

Panthro rolled his eyes before examining his own volume, Cheetara skimming those beside him. "Hm. This is more about the indigenous species of plants and creatures here. One on forest lore, another on the land and Thundera's actions in it…guess he wanted to make sure nobody would come around."

Lion-O, on the other hand, sat in front of Red-Eye. "You can't speak?"

Red-Eye was motionless. Tygra kept one ear tuned to the conversation as they kept looking. Snarf and Sarfina began looking through other books too, hunting for information – Snarf's whiskers twitched when they brushed hers – and Bill stacked the useless volumes neatly on the floor so they'd know which had been skimmed. "Would you be able to write a little? I know you can't see, but it doesn't have to be neat. It'll be much, much better for you in the long run if you'd be willing to help right your wrongs."

The Luna grunted. Lion-O grabbed a nearby book – it was only half-full of notes – and Sarfina brought him a pen in her mouth. Giving these to Red-Eye, Lion-O said, "Where are you from? Who do you work for?"

Without his eyes, Red-Eye's writing was clumsy, but he had the tight, precise hand of someone who wrote extensively. "I hail from Lune. Before that your moon. I work for the Lady."

Tygra frowned. "You're just going to tell us? And besides, we knew it was a chick. Tug-Mug said it was his mother."

A faint, brittle smile on the dry mouth unnerved him. "The Lady will destroy you. She is so much stronger than I it is laughable. She made my talisman." Cheetara looked at the moon and Bill growled.

"What is the cure for the curse? If you are talking then tell me."

Red-Eye wrote again. "There is no cure. The best you can do is break it and stop the process. The metal will continue to grow faster the closer you are to the pendant, and breaking it is nearly impossible. The kind of power it takes to reverse the curse has not existed in hundreds of years. Even the Lady could not do that." Bill read this and his shoulders slumped. Lion-O's eyes darkened.

"I think we can break it. But is there no way to get rid of the metal on them now?" Red-Eye shook his head and then scribbled some more. Lion-O scanned this and his jaw set.

It said, "You cats think you can destroy this threat, but you will be killed the same as everyone else. The Lady knows, and she prepares for this." He fumbled for the edge of the page and Lion-O turned it for him and placed the pen tip in the left corner. "You all act against what could be the salvation of the planet."

Tygra examined this with furrowed brows. "Yeah, drug trades are really good for the planet. Addiction, crazy people mauling each other, crime and death…she must be a real saint, this Lady."

"Mutation is just a tool. She uses it to gain power to stop the Harbinger."

This did silence everyone, for very different reasons.

Cheetara flinched as if she'd sighted a blasphemy and Lion-O's expression grew very blank. Panthro stroked his chin and Tygra openly laughed. "Okay, now I know you're crazy. I mean, it was obvious before, what with the enslavement and devouring of sentient, talking beings, but now you're really nuts."

The Harbinger was one of Thundera's most feared boogeymen, a sort of devil if the stories were to be heeded. He was a demon that spirited children away and dragged them down into the bowels of the underworld, so "do your chores and don't pick fights or you'll end up in the darkest night." Tygra remembered the old rhymes and couldn't help but snort.

However, upon seeing Cheetara's cold look, he looked appropriately chastened. Though many considered the Harbinger a plain child's tale, the holy writings spoke of the dark being as well, and unlike the charmingly grotesque children's figure, this was a powerful, evil entity. He didn't believe in it, but Cheetara did.

But still. Even if there was some kind of Harbinger demon thing, the idea that the head of a drug trade was actually trying to stop it by amassing great wealth and some sort of power…no, that was too rich. Tygra crossed his arms. "So your Lady. Tell us about her. Where is she, what is she, and all that jazz. So we can know who stands in the way of the Harbinger."

Red-Eye began writing immediately. "I will not tell you who or where she is. You would only damage her plans, and they are hers alone."

Lion-O tilted his head. "…You have no idea about what she's doing, do you?" The Luna did not reply but his lips curled wryly.

"The Harbinger comes. I know that. Nothing else matters; only the Lady will stop him. My visions show death and darkness for all, and if I must be blind I would prefer that to the complete blackness which comes." Red-Eye put down the pen and nudged the book in disgust. He would write no more.

Cheetara frowned, settling onto her haunches in a crouch, looking at Red-Eye straight on. "What visions are you talking about?"

Red Eye rapped his fingers on the ground irritably. Tygra wanted to give him a good smack but restrained himself at the sight of her suddenly pale face. Cheetara licked her lips as if her mouth were dry. "Did you…did you see a monster in them? With big reddish eyes and lots of teeth?"

His claws stopped. He lifted his sagging head. Cheetara peered at him and leaned closer. "Did you see a creature that spoke and had red eyes? No pupils, no anything, just blank red eyes?"

"Cheetara?" Lion-O whispered. She looked up and opened her mouth to speak.

Cold, cold hands gripped her arm and she gasped skin punctured where the claws tightened. Lion-O was there and then Tygra, trying to pull Red-Eye's arm away from her, but Cheetara just stared at nothing, and his mouth opened and Tygra could see the stump where his tongue had once been.

"Ssssee. Heesh cohming."

His voice was old and withered, but when he managed to utter, "He's coming," Cheetara's eyes rolled back into her head and the whites seemed like milk as she hit the ground.

* * *

The world was bitterly, dryly cold and breathing hurt. Cheetara exhaled and her breath flew in the wind like smoke. It was like her dream from before, but instead of being in the dark her feet were on frozen sand and everywhere she looked there was a night sky dotted with frosty stars. She gazed up at it; green. The stars glittered in a green sky, casting its light over the pale land. Purple mountains rose in distant mists, and Cheetara held herself, shivering atop a small, sloping hill.

Was Red-Eye showing her a vision? Her mind recoiled – the man was a witch. She muttered a prayer and wished to leave. But nothing happened and her tail rolled uneasily from side to side. "What does he want me to see?" she asked aloud.

As if in answer, people dashed by from beyond the hill and Cheetara stared. They were Luna and they had foreign beasts with them. They rode thick bears with long tails and saber teeth, and each of them had flesh in cold tones. One young woman had particularly beautiful violet skin and flowing white hair that reminded Cheetara of snow in a blizzard. It sprayed and danced over her shoulders.

All of them were fleeing as fast as they could, and she counted about thirty people pelting across the flat. What were they running from?

A shadow fell across the land. Not just the shadow of a cloud, but long and deep and dark. Cheetara slowly looked to see its source.

Then she screamed. And screamed.

The thing fell over the land like a tidal wave, and where it touched the ground became dead. The white sand seemed gray where it grew and even the delicate green and violet light that traced the earth died away. The mountains faded, mere rocks, and even the stars seemed to leave this world as the creature stood upon it.

Oh that face…she couldn't look at that face…

Cheetara forced herself to, nearly fainting. It wasn't like in her dream, this was so much more that she fell to her knees and stared. The twisted face made no sense. The nose was too high, the teeth were too long, the eyes had no pupils, the skin looked like dead, beat leather. She didn't dare look at the body. It cast angled, sick shadows over the land and she was too intent on seeing the light in his mouth.

If it was a lump of crystal she'd never seen one glow, but she'd never heard of solid light either which would have been her other guess. The beast seemed to enjoy it as one did with a candy, letting loose a rumbling noise of satisfaction. It sounded like thunder.

Then it tilted its head back and the light disappeared in a swallow. And everything went so black that Cheetara had to shut her eyes for light, because even her eyelids were brighter than this.

The earth under her feet gave out and she fell into a darkness that didn't end.

* * *

When she finally came to Cheetara opened her eyes and wondered if it was her mother or her father that had come and woken her up after her bad dream. Because they would usually tuck her back in but the room felt cold. All except for her torso. Moving her arms, Cheetara turned her head against her pillow, cheek pressing against it – it was awfully warm and firm – and blinked. Movement was hard and she could see the bare mist of her breath.

"What happened?"

A light brown hand wiped her hair back. "Cheetara! You've been out for an hour!" Lion-O's voice broke the delusion that she was in her room at home, and her head began to ache when she tried to lift it. Leaning back helped, and Cheetara realized that it was Lion-O's cloak wrapped around her and it was his lap her head rested in. Three books sat beside him and an open one lay by his knee. "Are you okay?"

"Dizzy. But yeah."

Lion-O seemed relieved, helping her sit up. This made her head spin and she muttered, "Yeah, no…I'm just going to lay here for a while. Your legs are comfortable." She returned her head to his lap.

Tygra had been reading with one eye, pausing every so often to glare daggers at Red-Eye. The Luna was sitting in the corner, head hanging. Now he was taking out his water canteen, speaking soft curses against the Luna, against crazy hallucinations. The worry on his face was almost nice.

"We tried waking you but nothing seemed to work. Red-Eye said you would wake up and he hasn't said anything since. We figured he'd cursed you or stunned you somehow so we started looking through his books again to see if they had anything to help you." Lion-O's brows were finally relaxing. "I guess he was telling the truth."

"I saw the Harbinger." Cheetara spoke dully, Lion-O's warmth keeping her from shivering. Tygra had been scooting towards their part of the floor but paused when she said this. "Something really awful happened a long time ago. The Luna…I think their world was…eaten."

Red-Eye stiffened and sat up. Lion-O bit his lip delicately.

"That's what his journals say. They talk about a great demon coming to the world they lived on and a great darkness consuming it." She frowned at this, putting her cold fingers on Lion-O's knee, hoping the texture of his pants might wake up her numb fingers.

"He talks about a lot of crazy things." Tygra offered her a drink and she sipped a little, rubbing her temples. "His writings say that he actually lived on the moon before the Luna immigrated, but that was thousands of years ago. And he even claims the moon wasn't a moon; it was a dwarf planet and has only become one of our moons over a few thousand years." He shook his head. "It's just crazy stuff."

"Let's not assume that," Cheetara said. Turning her head a little she raised her voice. "Red-Eye, you said your Lady is trying to stop the Harbinger by using Mutation. Is it trying to eat our world too?"

Red-Eye nodded. Cheetara suddenly felt a little dizzier and she might have passed out again if she didn't feel Lion-O touch her shoulder. His arms were bare, she realized, as she was wrapped in his cloak. He must be cold. This thought distracted her enough to keep from digging too deeply into the terrifying thought.

A demon was trying to devour their world. "How would Mutation do that? Is she forming an army or something?" Red-Eye would not exactly look at her and Cheetara tried to imagine even a powerful army of Mutants taking down that thing. It would never work…would it? Maybe.

"It wants to eat a planet?" Tygra asked. For once his skepticism seemed to falter slightly. "How? It can't be so big that it eats a whole planet."

Red-Eye shook his head and scribbled on his paper. There was more on it now. Snarf – he'd been immersed in another book with Sarfina – trotted over to read it. "He says, 'The demon eats the core of the world. The core of every planet contains life-giving light. The light is sealed in strange stone."

Lion-O glanced at the Sword of Omens. "And the Harbinger is after this?"

"If you believe in him and that this is all true." Tygra spoke evenly, and again did not sound condescending. Panthro frowned.

"I don't trust this guy as far as I can throw him. Why would he tell us this? And if this Lady he works for is good, why is she running a drug trade that's ruining so many lives?"

Red-Eye made a raspy, snorting noise, and tossed his pen in Panthro's general direction. "That's mature." Panthro looked back to his books. "If she were good she'd be helping us. Maybe she's working against this Harbinger thing, but it ain't for the good of the planet. Cheetara, you're awake now, we need to get the Snarfs out of here. We'll bring these books and Red-Eye with us, see what else we can get out of him. Can you stand up?"

Cheetara found that she could, taking off Lion-O's cloak and feeling the cold air rifle through every last bit of her fur. Jogging a little in place, she gave it to him and said, "Let's move then. I can't believe I was out for an hour, it's freezing in here."

Bill toddled to her, carrying no fewer than twenty-five books in neat stacks. "We will examine these with you to help. We must destroy the talisman as soon as we can."

Lion-O put his cloak on and pulled Red-Eye to his feet. "Okay, we'll get the Snarfs back to their tribe and pick up Tug-Mug and Gyp. Then we'll see about the Berbil village and-"

The whole room shuddered and rocked, and everyone hit the floor as the frosty metal bucked. Bill plopped onto his metal behind, managing to keep the books together. "What the Ghen?" Panthro yelled.

Sarfina scrambled to her feet and felt the wall. The clanging rolled again and she had to gain her feet once more before pressing her ear to the wall. "I think I hear water! The lake…something's attacking the base and it's making the water flow into the lower parts! Listen!" The hollow, slurping noise of water was indeed much louder here.

"But…we headed down to get here." Tygra's rather obvious observation was met with the silence of closed throats and impending doom. "Oh. Ghen."

Lion-O grabbed a couple of books and scooped up the Snarfs and handed them to Cheetara. "Head for higher ground! We have to get out before the tunnels collapse. The base will flood soon and we need to be out before it does." Tygra grabbed a few books as well – anything they could grab and sprint with – and Panthro slung Red-Eye over his shoulder, much to the Luna's chagrin.

Cheetara started running, both Snarfs clinging to her and noticing that Lion-O's face in particular seemed white as death. And then the Sword lit their way and they fled into the tunnels that slanted upward, praying that the tunnels didn't give way and drown them all under the exploding pressure.

* * *

End of Episode 6


	7. Chapter 7

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 7**

 **Tiny Courage**

* * *

Gyp circled the base with slow, easy beats and curved one wing to bear him down toward it, talons bared. He slammed against the wall and heard more metal bending under his weight. He opened his beak and cawed; two more rooms had just collapsed. Next he went for a downed tree on the bank, wrenching it from the mud and severing its splintered attachment to its stump. This was hurled over the base and crashed down deep into the center. Water burbled around it and he smiled.

He didn't like working with the Luna, and Red-Eye was annoying at best. He'd been running this too long already, and he did it so poorly. Gyp would never have had the courage to do this before, but with Mutation flowing in his blood he was ecstatic, powerful, unstoppable. He rode its high and continued attacking.

If he got rid of those cats he'd be a hero to the entire trade. This Luna woman that Red-Eye and Tug-Mug heeded and even Slithe gave pause for would surely consider the loss of an old, haggard witch worth the safety of the trade.

And besides, this was deliriously fun. The crashing, the destruction. Even the ivory-tower intellect liked to destroy things every now and then. He imagined the base being smashed to pieces, condensing under the water pressure and washing the felines out and crushing them against the walls.

He dove again, beak opening as he screeched again. This time he would destroy the road and use pieces of it to crush more of the base.

"Hey, big-beak! Shut up! You're just a big ole hen, aren't you?"

Gyp's cry was swallowed in surprise – it sounded rather like a cluck – and he flew up higher, scanning the banks. A high girl's voice had been calling out, and he hunted with his sharp eyes for a cat to rip apart. There had been a girl and boy, hadn't there?

There. The girl kit in her filthy rags – cats never washed their clothes enough – and she waved at him merrily. He slowly folded his wings and dipped toward her, but she whirled around and took off into the forest. He snarled and pursued her, delving into the branches. Gyp was not so large that he couldn't navigate the branches, and with his brain he would surely outsmart the girl-

A branch flew into his face, smacking him and knocking him back a few feet in a surprised flap. The boy kitten was smirking at him from the tree and Gyp screeched at him. Another branch struck him like a sting in the tail and he turned his bald, scabby head to see the girl winking at him. He turned again to get the boy first but his claws scrabbled at nothing; the branch was empty. Enraged, he whirled to attack the girl instead. She too had vanished, and another branch stung him on the side. This time the blur of red fur made him gnash his beak – a Snarf was growling at him and darted away before he could swipe at it.

Bits of bark and sticks started flying from everywhere and the glint of about a dozen Snarfs' coats caused him to snap and twist and claw in every direction. But every time his beak closed they disappeared and reappeared elsewhere, darting up and down through the branches. Sometimes he lunged after them but got caught in the boughs and had to free himself.

Kat and Kit huddled on a quiet, dark branch hidden by vines, observing this. "Twelve Snarfs aren't enough to stop him. Do you think the others will be able to get out?" Kit whispered.

Kat looked at the base and his tail was positively fluffy with stress. "I don't know! I thought he was with that Luna guy. I didn't think he'd attack the base, I just thought the others were bringing the other Snarfs out."

"Well if the lake starts filling the base everyone will drown! We've gotta buy them time!" Kit looked down and her eyes traced the direction they'd come. "Do you think the tribe will be too scared to help?"

Kat crawled further out. "Go tell them we need help. If they want to see their people again they have to help us stop Gyp. Otherwise the captives will drown, and so will the Berbils and the others!" With that he flung himself into distracting Gyp, yanking feathers and jeering from behind him. Kit turned around and began sprinting through the trees from limb to limb.

* * *

Lion-O couldn't say it surprised him that someone or something was attacking the base, but when the banging from overhead stopped he did look up in wonder. "It stopped."

"For now!" Panthro felt the nearest wall and mumbled something. "I can hear some of the tunnels beginning to break. We need to get up to the other Snarfs before the entrance gets washed out. Can either of you find the way?" he asked Snarf and Sarfina. Both immediately began sniffing and Snarf pointed.

"Left here, and then right I think. Just keep heading upwards." Cheetara still carried each of them and ran ahead so Snarf could have a moment to sniff. Bill trundled after her and Lion-O brought up the rear with Tygra. The Luna was quite still, slung across Panthro's shoulders, but Lion-O supposed that he didn't want to drown any more than they did.

Drowning. The thought made him stumble but he forced it back behind mental walls and locked it down. Now wasn't the time.

Whatever had been attacking the upper base had stopped, and now that the clanging had stopped he could really hear the foaming sound of water. It was probably breaking in through weaker points down below because of the lake's weight on it, but it hadn't burst anywhere larger because if it had, it would have been at least up around their ankles because of the pressure. Tygra kept glancing back to check.

"Okay, we're nearly there," Snarf called. "The others are just ahead."

There was more clanging now, but this sounded like marbles hitting a steel sheet. Turning the last corner was a relief when the sight of a few hundred eyes and metal bears met them. Lion-O watched Bill sprint the last few steps and slide to a halt in front of the Snarfs. "The door isn't opening?"

Three Berbils had been clamoring against it, rolling and bouncing off the great door. "We didn't know the code," Belle said softly. "And the smashing started. We didn't want to move to higher ground without you."

Looking at the little faces, fearful yet staying, Lion-O was touched by this bravery. "Thank you for waiting. Red-Eye, your life depends on everyone getting out of here." He looked at the number pad on the wall, nearly invisible in the dark save for the glow of the sword. "What's the code?"

The Luna did not touch the pad. He smiled a cold, mocking smile instead. Tygra hit him between the shoulder blades firmly and he coughed. "Seriously, unless you want to die, open it."

"Nho. Myyy Ady ish scrong an' you wiw faw." Lion-O scratched his head and gave the Snarfs a helpless look.

"He says, 'No. My Lady is strong and you will fall,'" Sarfina translated gently. "I think what he means is that he'd rather all of us die here so you can't stop her."

Some of the baby Snarfs mewled in terror and Lion-O's jaw dropped. "You'd sacrifice all these innocent lives because it might give your 'Lady' an edge?" His fur lifted and he bared his teeth. "If that's how your lady works, I'm glad she's not on our side. I can't let innocent people die if there's any way to save them. The Sword of Omens would never suffer that even if I would." He glanced down at the blade and Red-Eye let out a surprised grunt.

"Ich heyer?"

Sarfina shifted. "'It's here?'"

Lion-O scowled. "Of course it is! And unless I'm mistaken, even the Harbinger himself gives pause before it! Now, if your Lady wants you to sink one of the most powerful artifacts in the world, then so be it. But it seems she'd rather have it around so she can fight this beast. Unless she thinks all the innocent people she's been shooting up with drugs are going to be enough to fight the demon of all demons!"

He stopped, panting. Tygra patted his back. "Feel better?"

"Not really! I've never heard something so stupid. I mean, we're running around trying to save all these people because some crazy woman is injecting people with incredibly damaging substances that destroys their minds. There may well be a demon doing something. But to try to use drugged animals that are turning into beasts to fight him is just crazy! All of these people are absolutely crazy!" Lion-O squeezed the hilt of the blade and it flared red hot. Red-Eye jolted at the sensation of heat and Lion-O's fingers loosened. The fire died but the Luna turned his head toward where it had come from, thin nostrils working as he thought.

Then he nodded and fumbled for the number switch, entering in a five-digit code. The sound of a great gate slowly clicking open made Lion-O exhale in a long, deep breath. "Thank you. Maybe there's some sense left in the world yet."

Red-Eye mumbled something incoherent and Sarfina gathered up the Snarf kits as she translated. "He says that his lady may have use for you and the sword, she may not. But he'd rather err on the side of caution." All the Snarfs were watching their tormentor soberly, as if rather shocked that their great foe had been brought down so easily.

"We didn't have to suffer this," Fernald said suddenly. "What a few cats and Berbils did so easily, couldn't hundreds of Snarfs do?" There was a murmur of agreement. "We have become a very cowardly tribe."

There was a general sound of shame and hundreds of ears dipped and flicked. Lion-O waited until the door had opened before saying, "It's hard to stand up against a frightening enemy. What matters right now is that we all get out of here and you return to your families. You'll be able to defend yourselves in the future." He scooped up three old, tottering Snarfs to carry them but his eyes widened.

"Oh…dear."

A great bird swooped in, wingspan twice the length of Panthro's height and its body taut and baring talons. Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens – rather impressive when he had three old Snarfs clutching his arms – but it careened over them into the door, smashing the gates. Everyone hastily rushed from under the collapsing structure, Panthro plucking Red-Eye from the ground once more. The Snarfs had packed what little of the road they had access to, and Cheetara stamped her foot. "Go, go! Keep moving, the lasers turned off when we opened the door!" She then lengthened her staff, whirling it in one hand. "Come down here, Gyp! Come here and get a staff where the sun don't shine!"

The bird – of course it was Gyp – let out a low, rumbling call of derision and soared higher. He looked battered and bruised, but Lion-O didn't have time to consider that. He put down the old Snarfs so Fernald and four others could help them across the lake and he watched the bird circle. "We need to get him on the ground before we can stop him. The best way to do that is to break a wing."

"Got any antimutagen on you?" Tygra asked in undertone, eyes following the hungry shape.

"Two canisters. I don't dare throw them." Lion-O shook his head. "Why is he attacking? We have Red-Eye!"

The Luna snorted. Cheetara growled. "Seems the only thing they dislike more than us is each other. Think Tug-Mug will have gotten out?"

"Count on it." The Luna's voice twisted with a cold laugh as a plume of icy mist rushed over them and everyone started hacking. Lion-O had felt this before so he held his breath as best he could, only taking in a couple of breaths of it, and he angled the sword into a defensive stance, ears perked. "Surrender and we'll kill you quickly."

Panthro cursed and put Red-Eye down. He sat peaceably enough. Tug-Mug was scuttling across the road on a new, shiny set of legs, armored and set with what looked like crystals. They moved faster than ever, and Lion-O wondered if they were a power source. "These aren't so easily broken, cats."

"We should've killed them," Tygra coughed. Tug-Mug raised his cannon, and Lion-O dashed at him to deflect whatever was about to come out of the newly mended weapon.

It was a few sharp chunks of ice, and Lion-O cut through most of them. The sensation of wind started up and Lion-O saw Cheetara spinning her staff swiftly, hair blowing as it swept away the ice mist, her eyes streaming. "Bill?" she called. "Get the Snarfs out of here!"

Bill's fellow Berbils exchanged glances, squinting around tears. Lion-O's eyes fell to Belle's arm, and his brow furrowed. "Wait a minute!"

Tug-Mug attacked but two male Berbils bowled into him, so Lion-O gestured for everyone to come close. "Okay, I've got an idea. Tygra, lady Berbils, focus on Gyp. Use the whip and your Ber-Berang like you showed me in the village. Panthro, you're on him to break wings when he comes down. Cheetara, you're with me and the guy Berbils against Tug-Mug. Snarf, Sarfina?"

The two instantly straightened. "You guys lead the Snarfs. Keep them out of harm's way as best you can." Lion-O heard the clang of Tug-Mug's metal cannon beating dents in the Berbils. "If they can help, let them. But we understand they're scared."

He scanned the group of determined, cunning eyes. "Let's go!"

* * *

Kit had to stop to breathe in the shade, clutching a stitch in her side. Then she pressed on, thinking of her brother and the others. They might be drowning this very second, but twelve Snarfs and two kittens couldn't do anything. They needed help.

So Kit's plan had better work. Her heart was pounding for it.

At last she straightened. "Snarfs! Snarfs, please come out! We need your help!"

This had to be the place. She knew it was. Panthro had been showing them how to track, and she remembered broken branches, and the one mossy tree. She stooped and pounded one fist on the ground. "Snarfs!"

"What is it? What's happening?" One had popped out of the burrow entrance, a mere hole. Three others were in a tree, probably sentries. It was hard to see in the murky, soft shadows of the leaves and brush. "We heard the noise from underground, and most of the tribe is hiding."

"It's Gyp. He got loose and used Mutation, and now he's attacking the lake base! The others are still inside with the Snarfs and Berbils!"

A scuffling sound from the burrow made her look down as Chief Os-Wald-O exited, still favoring a leg. "He attacks his own superior? They are madmen!"

"Totally. We distracted him for a little while with the help of the Snarfs from the forest base, but it's not enough. He went back to base when we came to get you guys, and I think that means the others tried to get out!" Kit shifted to her knees. "Chief, we need more Snarfs. We have a plan but a few won't cut it."

Several others had come to the entryway and squealed in fear at this. "Us, go out there? To do what?"

"Fight Gyp. And maybe Tug-Mug." Kit gave them a reserved look as if to say, "Duh."

"No! We'll all be killed like always! That's why we asked your help in the first place!" The Snarf's voice was very shrill and the Chief shot her a look. Her ears flopped back, chastened, but she continued, "We're just little Snarfs! You've seen those monsters? What can we do against them?"

Kit bristled. "With the help of the Berbils and us, a whole bunch! That's like saying what can a bunch of ants do to a stick, or a bunch of bees can do to a bear! If they've got to protect themselves, they can move big things and defend their homes! I've seen bees drive off a full grown bear when they all worked together." Daddy had shown her how to get just a little honeycomb without angering the bees afterward. A lump formed in her throat. "The Berbils are only a little bigger than you and they're fighting to save themselves and you!"

The female Snarf seemed confused and embarrassed. A younger boy piped up, yelling over the distant crashing noise. "But…we're scared. We might all get killed. All our Mamas and Papas too."

Kit shook her head. "If you wait around here, all of them are definitely gonna die. And you can bet they're really scared if Gyp is going to get them. One Snarf came along with us to help us sneak into the bases and get the help of the Berbils, and you can't tell me he wasn't afraid! Sometimes you have to do stuff that's scary." Kit turned her head, listening for more banging. "You won't be alone. We're going to help you. You can protect yourselves! All you need's a good team to help you!"

The chief gave her a piercing look. "…You have shamed me with such brave words. Are we not Snarfs?" He turned and looked back into the entryway. "Baby Snarfs remain behind, along with those who cannot run. All others, follow me. We move to defend our fellows and friends, or fall trying!"

He climbed out of the hole and his tail whipped with new energy. "Tell us your plan."

Kit grinned at one of the Snarfs. He managed to give her a slightly queasy smile back. "We've gotta move fast and take to the trees. Leave luring Gyp over to us. But here's how we'll attack him…"

* * *

Lion-O's plan was a fair one, but a plan would have to be better than fair to bring down Gyp and Tug-Mug. He didn't really have much to go on though, so nobody was inclined to judge too harshly as they had bigger problems to worry about.

Gyp had left off smashing the base and instead dove at the road, sweeping Snarfs off the side when they couldn't hold on with fat, gusty rushes from his wings. These were swiftly recovered due to their brethren and, occasionally, Tygra's whip being used to draw them back to the pathway. Otherwise he was cracking the whip as Gyp flew by, trying to sting and goad him. The lady Berbils formed a line and waited for the bird to draw close before letting their arms fly as weapons. It did about as much good as lobbing small rocks at a person. It hurt enough to annoy, but Gyp merely flew out and beat them with the gusts from his wings. He took care to stay away, dancing out of reach and raining down debris he could scrape from the bank. Even so, there was steel glittering in those gentle bear eyes and the Berbil ladies hurled with precision and grace. Their arms returned every time, guided by either a perfect toss or perhaps some magnetic force.

Tug-Mug was no easier to deal with. Panthro sought to keep the Snarfs from being buffeted or crushed, which left Lion-O and Cheetara to attack Tug-Mug. But he was ready for a swift foe and slung ice across the ground instead of the air, and Cheetara could not keep her balance on the substance while sprinting. Using their claws the two cats delved into battle, but without Cheetara's speed she was much less damaging. The male Berbils sought to bowl him over, but his mechanical lower body made him spry, and avoiding them was much easier.

Lion-O didn't know what these new legs were made of, but they were much stronger than Tug-Mug's last pair. The Sword of Omens bounced off of each one he struck, leaving Tug-Mug time to pepper him with ice and hard, knuckled blows from his fist. Cheetara's quick punches were too light to deal any damage and she resorted to using her staff instead. She couldn't charge it, but the ends were sharp and it took Tug-Mug's focus to use his cannon arm to fend off the blades.

Things got worse when Tug-Mug switched his legs into tripod mode. He jetted up, spraying more ice, and by now everyone knew to hold their breath. But it made their eyes water, and Tug-Mug used his arm cannon to send larger projectiles at each of them.

Panthro was hit in the arm and Cheetara in the side. Panthro shrugged this off, ignoring the massive bruise. Cheetara was not so lucky, falling to the ground and curling up, stunned. Lion-O snarled and dashed for her, picking his way over the ice and lifting her. "Cheetara!"

"I'm…I'm okay. It just…agh," she whispered, holding her waist. Tugging at the hem of her shirt revealed raw pink skin and Lion-o knew it would end up black and blue before the day was out. "Now what? As long as they're in the air we're useless."

"Hey!" Tygra cracked his whip in Tug-Mug's direction but too late; he hadn't seen him descending toward Red-Eye through the mist until he was halfway up again, toting the injured Luna. "Ghen, what do we do now?" He looked at Lion-O who shook his head.

"We need to get off this road. We need the use of the trees."

Just what Gyp and Tug-Mug didn't want. Gyp swooped low across the path, blowing the already soaked Snarfs off again, and Tug-Mug iced the path beyond that. "They say cats hate water. I want to see if it's true…and how long you can hold your breath before your lungs rupture!" Tug-Mug called.

"That's a misrepresentation," Tygra called, offended. "Tigers are great swimmers."

Panthro shot him a look of disbelief. "Seriously? Don't respond to goads!"

But Tug-Mug smirked and signaled for Gyp. The great bird laughed – it was more of a vibrating, "churr" noise – and ducked down just long enough to close his talons around Tygra. Panthro swiped at him and two massive blows connected, and Gyp hollered as he beat his wings.

Neither one was broken. Lion-O could have cursed his tongue black in that second. Tygra hissed and spat, lashing his whip to sting, but Gyp didn't hold on for long; he tossed Tygra into the water and cawed. Tug-Mug then began firing like mad, icing the lake's surface where he'd landed. Lion-O's jaw dropped. "He's trying to drown him by blocking the surface!"

Cheetara looked at him, suddenly scared. "Lion-O, we have to help!"

He placed her on the path and she tried to stand. "Stay with the Snarfs and protect them, I'll get Tygra!" And with that he vaulted over the side of the pathway and used his claws to skid quickly over the frozen water, ducking and sliding away from Tug-Mug's continued barrage.

If he fell through…Lion-O hadn't thought about it, seeing Cheetara's agonized face and unable to bear the image of Tygra drowning in his mind, but now that he did his vision swam. No, no, don't think about that! It's thick ice, just make a hole and get him out of the water. Oh, Ghen, water…

Tygra was visible through the translucent ice, swimming to find a place to come up for air. Every time he came close Tug-Mug fire more ice, spreading it further and further over the lake. Upon seeing Lion-O he returned to the spot and Lion-O took out the Sword of Omens and pierced the cold sheet, cutting through and stamping at the resulting crack. Tug-Mug fired again but a slew of Berbil arms ricocheting off him made him stop, bawling curses at the top of his lungs. Lion-O nearly threw up at the sound of the water – and its deep, black depths – but Tygra came up through the gap, panting for breath and sopping wet. Lion-O braced himself on the ice and offered the tiger his arm, lugging him out. "Thanks for that," Tygra gasped.

"Don't mention it." The slosh of water over his feet was positively intolerable, and Lion-O only managed to hold it together by pretending it was a very cold bath. They both ran back to the pathway and Lion-O had never felt so happy to be standing on metal and stone. Cheetara was on her feet and only held her side every now and then. Tygra's eyes darkened and she shook her head.

"It's fine. Glad you're okay, jerk."

"You too, brat." He saw Tug-Mug and Gyp readying for another attack and scanned their surroundings fruitlessly. "Okay, we should make a break for the bank. I know it's a little ways off, but if everyone runs and swims fast we can make it."

Lion-O took a couple steps back along the path and Panthro appeared at his side with a stony expression. "Not with Tug-Mug freezing the water we can't. And the Berbils can't be blown into the water, they'll sink."

Gyp had perched on the base, cutting a dark shape against the sun as he crouched as surveyed his prey. "I'll tear their heads off," he said lowly.

Lion-O tried to think but with Cheetara injured – and Tygra, though his burn was all right bandaged – and the threat of the Berbils and Snarfs being killed, his mind was drawing a blank. "Okay. I'll distract them while you guys make a break for it."

"What!?" Panthro said. His eyes were hard. "You'll be killed. I'll distract them."

"But I have the Sword of Omens, I can-"

"Get. Going. I can hold them." Panthro didn't give him a chance to reply; the cat took off, charging forward and hurling insults. Gyp grinned and attacked with his talons, too swift and cutting for Panthro to grab. Tug-Mug couldn't get a clear shot at the path and Tygra grabbed Lion-O's shoulder.

"Come on, come on! We'll stand a chance from the bank!"

"But Panthro!" Lion-O wouldn't budge, staring at the large cat as Gyp peppered him with cuts and used his beak to try pecking his eyes. He missed, but Panthro could only be lucky for so long.

"He told you to go, so let's move! We can help when the Snarfs aren't in danger!" Lion-O turned and saw the expanse of half-drowned, dizzy eyes and nodded.

They would return in a moment. They just had to get the Snarfs to safety. The three cats dashed after the horde of Snarfs led by Snarf and Sarfina, Lion-O and Cheetara glancing back every few seconds. When their feet hit the banks and the Snarfs scurried to the forest Lion-O turned around and screamed, "No!"

Tug-Mug had fired his ice again and this time it had struck home; Panthro lay on his side, probably struck in the head if the chunk by him meant anything. Lion-O started back across the path but Gyp simply tucked his talons around the cat and squeezed. Panthro roared in pain and Lion-O was so shocked by the sound he fell on the ice. He scrambled to his feet again, trying to think of how to free Panthro when he was under the wings of such a deadly foe.

And then Cheetara sprinted past him, leaping and clearing the worst of the ice. Her bruise only slowed her by a fraction of a second. "Cheetara!" he yelled.

She didn't reply, a blur of painfully golden light. The air smelled like a storm and Lion-O realized what she was about to do as she slid the last twenty feet on the ice and jumped onto Gyp, so quickly his eyes didn't register her presence until it was far too late.

Her staff jabbed into the feathers and the smell of burnt bird didn't hit Lion-O until a breeze over the lake caught him in the face. Gyp screeched, louder and higher than ever before, and he relinquished his hold and flapped as if berserk, knocking Tug-Mug away from the base as Cheetara jumped down to Panthro, who was struggling to get up. She got under his arm and helped him stand, and Lion-O finally managed to get onto the path, slicing at the ice with the sword to make the trek easier.

The minute it took for the two to run-hobble to the bank seemed to last for a day. When at last Panthro made it across he was cut every few inches, some deep and some the size of paper cuts. He was breathing hard and Lion-O saw deeper wounds where Gyp's talons had dug into his sides. "Panthro…" he started. Then he looked at Cheetara and whispered, "Thank you."

She shrugged. Panthro too managed to look up at her but said nothing, looking almost as if he didn't quite believe she'd gone back for him. Seeing this, Cheetara gave him a steely glare. "We're not like these jerks. We help our own."

Tygra was watching Tug-Mug and Gyp. "Guys, they're coming."

To fight them when three were injured and all were trembling from exertion was going to be suicide. Lion-O glanced at the trees. "Think we can get up there to hide and catch our breath?"

"Panthro can't climb right now," Tygra muttered. "Bleeding." He reached into Lion-O's belt to grab some bandages and hurriedly tied them around the worst places. Panthro tried to get up and succeeded, standing remarkably well.

"We gotta…think of something," he muttered.

But as Gyp flew closer and Tug-Mug jetted after him, all Lion-O could think was how horrible those two were. They hurt Snarfs and Berbils, and for what? A drug that would let them hurt more people because some woman said to do it. If there was a demon about, killing the innocent didn't seem like it would make it weaker.

Lion-O looked at the Sword of Omens, still and small. Would it do anything? Was it just exhausted. Or…was it waiting for something?

"Hey you! Metal-butt and Chicken-brain!"

This howl made Gyp stop and even Tug-Mug sputtered in the air. Lion-O whirled around to look into the trees, dark and ominous with their size and the depth of the forest behind them. There, on a high, dangerous branch, stood Wilykit with her chin jauntily lifted. "You're both big, stupid meanies and you're lily-livered too! All those Snarfs got away from you! I bet there'll be stories about how stupid and slow you are for generations! Ha ha ha!" She lifted her tail and waggled it in their direction, a clear insult.

Gyp's feathers all lifted in a sort of rage. "You kittens have pestered me for the last time." He swept over the cats, toward Kit, who spun around and raced into the forest, jumping from branch to branch. Tug-Mug hesitated, apparently unwilling to split up, and Red-Eye hung on his back like a monkey.

"Come on! After them!" Lion-O brought up the rear in case Tug-Mug fired on them, but he ended up passing over them in pursuit of Gyp. The cats just kept going, Lion-O spotting the Berbils trundling off the path, disappearing into the shadows, still towing their fully robotic fellows.

Gyp was not far. He had come to a stop in a great clearing and was beating his wings in place. "I won't fall for another trap, children! With Tug-Mug here, your tiny Snarf team will be blown to bits, one at a time! So come out and I'll make this quick."

Kat and Kit shifted into view from two high branches. "You've bossed these Snarfs around enough and they're tired of it! They're stronger than you!" Kat yelled.

Lion-O and Cheetara exchanged glances. Little Snarfs, stronger than a Mutation-filled bird and a Luna that spread ice and pain wherever he went? Since when? Tug-Mug and Gyp were not so subtle; they burst out laughing. Kat and Kit crossed their arms patiently as this went on. "That's funny. I almost don't want to eat you now." Gyp approached with slow, leisurely beats. "Where are your little friends then? Will they pelt me with sticks again?"

"Nope. They're going to take you down." Kat pointed upward and everyone's eyes rose.

Then Lion-O's jaw dropped.

No fewer than a thousand Snarfs were looking down on them, crouching in the branches with sharp, furious eyes. They filled each of the trees like birds perched and waiting for bread to be thrown, wave after wave of them flicking their tails. Snarf and Sarfina sat at the chief's sides, and the return of his daughter had added new fire to his eyes and claws. The entire tribe was assembled, and their silence was ominous. Occasionally a branch creaked under their feet, and they gazed down like the largest jury that had ever gathered. Gyp looked around uneasily and Tug-Mug lowered his cannon, stunned by the sight.

Kit raised an arm and snapped it in the direction of the enemy. "Now!"

And the horde descended. Springing from their perches the Snarfs bared their claws and teeth and fell like raindrops on Gyp and Tug-Mug. Lion-O's heart stopped when the first ones grabbed their foes and were shaken loose, falling. He caught two and Cheetara caught three. Tygra managed to break the fall of one by throwing himself and letting it land on his back. Each one jumped free of their arms and scrabbled back up the trees, flinging their bodies back onto Gyp and Tug-Mug, never ceasing, rage lending them strength and speed.

Tug-Mug went down first. He managed to fire his cannon once but his jet coughed under the sudden weight of about thirty Snarfs, and he descended in jocky motions. He started yelling, teeth and claws scratching him anywhere they could and Lion-O simply sat with the other cats, watching as several Berbils slipped from the shadows to help the Snarfs restrain the Luna. Bill gave him a sound blow on the head and at last Tug-Mug slumped over.

Gyp took longer to bring down. But under the weight and pressure and vicious bite of hundreds of enraged Snarfs, he too began to sink, wings struggling more and more. Feathers started flying and Lion-O winced as each paw started pulling at the feather shafts and at last Gyp collapsed on the ground. Most of his down was gone, fluttering in the air like confetti, torn free by each of the Snarfs he had harmed or harmed the families of.

Panthro strode up to the downed bird with only a slight inclination of a limp. Seven Snarfs made room for him, seeing that he was headed to Gyp's wing as the bird panted, wriggling like an ocean wave under detritus. With one swift punch the bird screamed; Panthro had broken his wing.

Then he turned around and walked back to the others. No abuse, no insults. He crossed his arms and said, "You told me to break his wing."

Lion-O gazed in wonder at their defeated foes and the little Snarfs that had done the defeating. "…I did. He can't fly away now." He paced slowly over the grass to the chief, who was sitting on top of Gyp's head as easily as he'd sit on a stump. "How did you do this?"

"The kittens. They inspired our courage and told us you needed help. If strangers can be so selfless and children so brave, we had no right to cower when you put yourselves in danger to rescue us." Os-Wald-O climbed off the bird and Lion-O took out a vial of antimutagen. Gyp watched him with one glassy, fuming eye and did nothing as the needle punctured his skin. It only took a minute for him to shrink down, and when he did the Snarfs jumped clear.

Red-Eye just sat there where Tug-Mug had all but dumped him. Tygra tapped his shoulder helpfully. "Okay, since you can't see I'll just tell you. We won."

Red-Eye snorted. And all the Snarfs leaped up and cheered alongside the Berbils, an explosion of noise that buffeted the leaves. And both kittens slid down the trees and dropped into Lion-O and Cheetara's arms. "That was totally cool. Oh no, Panthro!" Both rushed to his side and he simply shook them off with a brisk shrug. "You're hurt!"

"I'm fine. Or I will be, as soon as these three have been locked up somewhere." Lion-O watched Snarf hop toward them all, paws lifting high with delight as he bounded.

"Our three enemies are no more. The forest is free of their tyranny and our loved ones are safe at last." He bowed and then rolled over, exposing his stomach as a pack animal did to its alpha. "Thank you, Thunderans. You helped us when no one else would. We owe this victory to you."

Lion-O knelt, glancing up and noting that Sarfina was watching Snarf with a warm, happy look on her face. "That's not true Snarf. We helped out, but it was your tribe that managed to stop Gyp and Tug-Mug. And without you we'd have been totally outmatched. You're a brave warrior in your own right." Snarf rolled back over, suddenly looking embarrassed as the other Snarfs began murmuring.

"He's a scout, isn't he?"

"Did he really help them so much?"

"I didn't even know where he'd gone! He's always outside the tribe…"

"I think his grandpa set something on fire…it was the incident with the tree sap and the Berbil's chimney."

Lion-O cleared his throat and the chief raised a paw. Everyone grew quiet. "This Snarf," he began, "has been spying on Red-Eye and communicated with the Berbils who have also been suffering because of his actions. He was the one to help us get into the bases to rescue your people and the Berbils. In spite of the fact that he's never been quite at home among you because of his family, he was willing to risk everything to help protect his tribe long before we came here. In my opinion, he's a very brave and noble Snarf, and is one of the real heroes."

There were more cheers to meet this, and Lion-O heard Cheetara clap enthusiastically. He just managed to suppress a grin. Snarf was staring at his feet as if wishing he could dig a hole quickly enough to hide himself in a tunnel. But when Sarfina approached and licked his forehead he looked so thrilled that Lion-O had to cover his mouth in order not to laugh.

"I agree." Chief Os-Wald-O paced to stand before Snarf who seemed to shrink a little before the greater bulk. "Osbert Snarf, your family has long been considered odd and a little…well…we've all heard the story. Your grandfather's temporary banishment for his lapse in judgment was not meant to ostracize you or his other descendants, but it has. I wish to remedy my father's mistake, too late, but better now than never." He slipped out from under his headdress and Snarf's jaw hung slack as the chief placed it on his head. "Osbert, I name you a hero to the Snarfs for your courage. Our people will revere you as they would an advisor to the chief of the tribe, for that is what you are now. Wear this for the week as a badge of honor."

The Berbils all clapped happily and Lion-O finally laughed out loud as the small creature had to sit on his rump in shock, headdress crooked. Sarfina licked his face sweetly. Cheetara applauded and gave Gyp a kick in the rear when he made a rude noise.

Panthro just sighed and shifted his weight. "Can we go now?"

* * *

As it turned out, they didn't leave right away. There were still matters to attend to. The Snarfs wanted to hear everything that had happened from beginning to end, the littlest ones listening with open-mouthed wonder when they explained everything. Tygra embellished a little, but he was such a good storyteller that Lion-O didn't mind when Tygra stretched the truth. Cheetara poked him to keep him in line, but the kittens merely egged him on at the most dramatic, frightening moments.

About halfway through the story Lion-O happened to notice that Snarf wasn't with them. He was a little ways off, listening from a branch, embarrassed by all the attention. Sarfina was sitting beside him, occasionally whispering to him. He couldn't help but smile when her tail slyly linked with his like a hand might between two lovers and Snarf's face became quite ecstatic.

Something told him Snarf's affection was quite reciprocated.

After all this the prisoners were handed over to the Berbils, who were larger than the Snarfs and could actually hope to contain the enemies and take them to a city with Thunderan government that could help them in the justice system. "We will have these tried. We are not killers, and we believe in fairness," Bill said softly.

Unfortunately, the next item on the list did not go very well. When all the Berbils were gathered together – controlled and half-metal alike – Lion-O found a flat stone and called for Red-Eye's talisman. "Here," Cheetara said. From her pocket she drew the white crescent and laid it across the rock. All the Berbils seemed to recoil without moving an inch, and Lion-O gave it a long look.

"I guess we can only try our best." He drew the Sword of Omens and it extended, gleaming hot and bright in the sun. A sickly sort of hush fell over the crowd, solemnly watching what might be their only hope. Tygra secretly crossed his fingers and Cheetara folded her fingers and prayed in silence. The kittens saw Tygra's move and crossed their fingers, their other fingers, and even their toes with some difficulty. And then started praying.

Lion-O brought the blade down and when it connected with the sliver of white, sparks flew and a high, whistling noise split the silence. As if it were a glowing molten star the talisman broke in two pieces and the fully robotic Berbils buckled, knees hitting the ground, as if they'd been knocked forward.

The glow faded and the bears slowly looked around. Bill examined his claws and Belle sighed at her arms.

Metal. None of them had changed at all. The fully metallic Berbils were still on all fours. Lion-O's shoulders slumped and Snarf's tail drooped. He still wore the headdress and several Snarfs with him exchanged dismal gazes. "Oh no," he murmured.

Robearto – his toe was the giveaway – suddenly lifted his head. "Where am I?" Perking up, Bill hurried to him and spoke in undertone. Robearto gazed at him and slowly took in the image of his own metal belly and feet and arms. "Yes…I remember. And we're still…?"

Lion-O looked at the other fully robotic Berbils and his expression was so despairing that Cheetara couldn't help but put a hand on his back. He turned to her, face pained. "It didn't do anything. They're still like this. We haven't helped them at all."

"That is not true." Robearto could not blink with bulbs for eyes but the lights seemed to flicker. "I remember now, all of it. You helped our people save us and the Snarf tribe is whole again. I may be metal but I have my mind. My friends and family are not slaves. True, I would like to be normal again. But compared to the darkness we were in from only days ago, this is a great blessing." He offered his hand to a cub Berbil, who happily took it. "We are alive. We have our homes. And perhaps, someday, we will have our original forms. I do not think the curse will grow in strength any longer. This is enough for now. You are friends to the Berbils."

He shivered suddenly. "We watched so many bad, dark things. We may be able to help you by telling you what we heard. May we return to the village?"

Lion-O gave the broken moon one more look. Cheetara picked up the pieces and tucked them into her pockets and they obliged the Snarfs by following them past the makeshift camp. Many Berbils were rushing around, scooping up their belongings, chattering and running off through the brush and trees. Bill walked beside him, letting Belle direct the Berbil group. "I'm sorry."

Bill looked at Lion-O. "For what?"

"For this. You're stuck this way." Lion-O was looking at the Sword of Omens as he walked and he just shook his head in disgust, as if he wanted to hurl it away. "What good is it if it can't break a curse on you? Is it really that weak now?"

The Berbil walked alongside him easily, considering this with a paw against his mouth. "…You know, we Berbils are much stronger now than we were before. We learned how to fight and protect ourselves. If the metal grows no more, we are content. This newfound strength may be useful against the coming darkness."

Lion-O looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Bill leveled a long, serious gaze at him with serene eyes. "Red-Eye spoke of the Harbinger. The lady Cheetara saw a vision. That is enough to make me uneasy." He flexed his metallic toes against the ground. "There is something coming in the air. Something dark. The trees do not flower as richly, the children laugh less. It has been growing for a time now, even before these enemies came. I get the feeling that Robearto will only have more evidence."

Lion-O listened to this with growing trepidation. "Maybe you're right." Glancing over his shoulder he smiled. "Excuse me Bill. I have a couple of kittens to talk to." Bill nodded and watched him go, and he dropped back along the trees and shrubs. Kat and Kit were whispering to each other, and both swallowed when he approached. "Hey guys."

"Look, before you say anything, we were just trying to help," Kat began.

Kit nodded vigorously. "You said we were the backup, so we tried to back you up. We thought you guys needed help.'

"You were right. We did." Lion-O put a hand on either head. "Guys, what you did was dangerous and brave. It also saved our lives. I wish it hadn't come to you guys getting into danger but we owe you a lot for saving us."

The kittens blinked and looked at each other by leaning forward. "So we're not in trouble?"

"No. I wanted to tell you that you did a really good job by going to get help instead of just rushing into the situation." Lion-O sighed. "I thought we'd end up protecting you guys, but it looks like you guys had to save our tails first."

Kit grinned and hugged his side. "You guys can save us next time. Or you can just give us extra dumplings at dinner. They're yummy."

Lion-O appeared to consider it. "You drive a hard bargain. But deal."

Kat gave him a skeptical look but peeked back and whispered, "Is Panthro okay? He's walking kind of slow."

Lion-O turned his head and observed the panther for a minute. He had paused to help a Berbil family take down a makeshift wall for a hut. They waited so they didn't draw too far from him as his walk was slower than usual, and Lion-O said, "He needs time to rest and recover, but he'll never admit it."

Kit tugged his arm. "We'll help him, but we'll keep it secret. We'll be secret helpers…like spies or something."

Kat rolled his eyes. "That's not like spies at all Kit."

"Uh huh. Is too."

"Are not. Spies don't help people."

"Yeah they do, they help their team!"

Lion-O shook his head. "I'm going to talk to Panthro while you guys figure that out." The kittens began to bicker and he wove between a couple of Berbils to help Panthro lower the wall. The taller cat scowled when he saw him and looked away. "You okay?"

"Fine. Just a couple sore spots. I don't need to be nannied." Panthro watched four Berbils take a corner each and carry the wall off like a mobile table with a rather bewildered look. "They move like clockwork, don't they?"

"Yeah." Lion-O too watched the Berbils scamper about, several Snarfs helping them. Bill was waiting patiently and Lion-O held up a finger. The bear nodded. "Panthro, I really would like you to take it easy for the next few days. You're hurt." His eyes jumped from wound to wound, and Panthro grunted. "Seriously. I need you on this journey. And I know you don't like to hear it, but you can't do everything on your own anyway." He jerked a thumb toward the kittens. "Our tails were saved by two clever kids. That should tell you that we need to be at our best, and I want you to rest up."

"If you're wanting to hear me say you were right to bring little ones along, it ain't gonna happen." Panthro's gray eyes were hard and Lion-O shook his head.

"No, that's not what I meant. I just mean…"

He glanced around, checking for any nearby ears. "You were chosen to make sure I get to the King's Door. You need to understand that as dangerous as it is – and after all that we've learned so far about our enemies – something big is going on. And you're going to have to let people help you. We won't make it on our own." He hesitantly patted Panthro's shoulder. "And I really want you to make it. You're the only person that knows about…y'know. I can't do this without you."

The scowl softened marginally. "…Yeah, fine. I get it. I'll rein it in. Just until the scratches knit." Lion-O smiled and Panthro turned away. "Have you seen Cheetara? I need to tell the girl something."

"She was with Snar-Fer, Sarfina and Snarf last I saw. They're already at the village." Lion-O started back toward Bill. "Thanks for listening. We're in this together, you know?"

"Yeah. You, me, a flighty tiger, a stubborn girl, and two crazy kids."

The village was not far from the camp. It took about an hour for the Berbils to stop and sigh happily, and Lion-O looked around with something like home settling in his chest. There was nothing else that could describe the sensation.

In spite of being messy and some of the buildings being wrecked, the little houses welcomed them with bright reds and yellows and blues. They seemed to be equal parts metal and wood, and many designs of flowers and plants were engraved in the sides. Some tiny houses were even in the trees, settled like fat fruits in safe boughs. And the trees…many were short and had vibrantly colored barks, and every one seemed to have differently colored fruits with many different shapes. He'd seen candyfruit before but it was quite the experience to see dozens on a branch, fresh and ripe. It was much lovelier than the hurried camp the Berbils had tossed together earlier.

"Ooh! Can we have some, please?" Kit squealed, pointing at a purple, round one. Bill swept an arm graciously toward it. "Thank you!" Lion-O lifted one kitten then the other so they could have their choice, and he cored the pieces with his claws. Both sank their teeth into the firm skins and he wiped the juice off his hands, feeling more amused than he ought to. Again the Berbils so generously shared their food…how could anyone harm such gentle, kind creatures?

Lion-O heard a sigh and looked to see Cheetara shaking her head as she approached. "Between us we're going to spoil these kittens." She said this with an arched eyebrow and Snar-Fer in her arms like a baby. She was feeding him berries, one at a time.

"Ah, they could do with some spoiling, I think." Lion-O gave Snar-Fer a gentle scratch under the chin and the tiny beast purred. "They've all earned it."

She gave him a warm look. "I'm glad we stayed to help them. I know it might put us behind, but…"

"It was the right thing to do. Now they know they can protect themselves, and I think Robearto might have some information for us." Snar-Fer pawed at his finger and Cheetara gave the Snarf a few kisses before lowering him like a prince to the ground. Lion-O laughed when he rubbed against her ankles and then skipped away, pawing then at Tygra's leg. The tiger gave her a look.

"I could have sworn someone said something about spoiling." Even so he let Snar-Fer ride on his shoulder, prodding him when the clever little paws reached for his braids. "Don't you dare."

"How's the arm, Tygra?" Lion-O saw that the bandages had been redone and cleaned and Tygra shifted it.

"Not bad. Aches. The Berbils and Snarfs gave me a few plants that can be crushed for burn relief. Y'know, there's a lot of interesting stuff in this forest." He showed them a dark leaf. "This can apparently cure stomach upset if combined with two kinds of berries. I might bring some along."

Cheetara crossed her arms. "So we'll have you playing mad scientist, eh?"

"I prefer 'slightly psychotic doctor.'" Tygra said this airily and tucked the leaves into a pouch on his belt. "Panthro's coming, one of the Snarfs wanted to put something on his scratches to help him heal." He gestured with a thumb and Lion-O saw that Panthro – who had been very quiet on the trek over – looking very grumpy and sitting on a stump, no fewer than four Snarfs swarming around him with tiny, wooden cups in their paws. "Don't worry, the Berbils vouched for it. It's not goo-no."

Relieved, Lion-O spotted Robearto waddling toward them with Bill. "The village is repairable. This is good. We will make it safe again," he said. His voice was tinny and his mouth did not move, Lion-O noticed. Could he eat? Did the robotic Berbils even need to eat? Robearto noticed his gaze and added, "Do not worry about us. It will be all right. We Berbils are good with machines. I must tell you of the messages Red-Eye received."

Panthro finally got up, shrugging off the Snarfs and heading over. Both kittens paused in their munching to wipe their faces and listen. Robearto looked at Bill and then began, folding his hands neatly. "We Berbils were taken when Red-Eye first cursed us, and because we were closer to the talisman, we felt its effects more swiftly. It took only a few weeks for us to forget ourselves and become Ro-bear Berbils. However, because we were robots, we were allowed everywhere as helpers in the base, even to his office area. Many of us read and filed his notes and heard the messages on his console, and we have been pooling our information with the recordings and notes you brought back. I believe that something very bad is going to happen, and I wish to tell you that the Mutation trade is much darker and deeper than you think."

He paused. Lion-O waited for him to continue, trying not to tap his feet impatiently. Robearto spoke softly and carefully, to make certain he was understood.

"The woman they communicate with is a powerful, influential Luna who lives far to the north. I believe she lives in Lune. She is the one masterminding the Mutation trade, and she created the talisman for Red-Eye. This is frightening to me because he is a powerful witch in his own right…and she is apparently much greater than he." Robearto paused to let them absorb this. "He is very old, so perhaps she is as well."

"He wasn't that tough," Tygra muttered. Bill cocked his head in the direction of the tiger's burn.

"We got very lucky," Cheetara said honestly. "I wouldn't like to run into him again when his eyes heal."

Robearto nodded. "The messages the woman sent him were often about issues in a variety of cities, mostly needing new shipments. She mentioned Tropo a great deal, and I believe that is a hub for their control. She also mentioned one called Slithe, and another they call Red."

"Probably that jackal guy," Kat noted. "So all these guys are working together?"

"It makes sense," Panthro said. "The lizards travel where it's hot, the Luna travel where it's cold, and mammals cover the rest of it. It's no wonder the trade's been exploding across the planet with the help of the Alliance and its members."

"Yes, she mentioned the Alliance too. I do not think she cares much about them. She just wants many people to try Mutation and become Mutants. She wants them tracked, and I believe she wants to gather them to fight the Harbinger when he comes." Robearto lowered his head. "She spoke of the Heart of the World, and the Harbinger being there right now. But…it did not make much sense. She mentioned a failed sealing, and many odd things. Something about him not being able to eat it but only feeding on the energy because he was…in between something."

Lion-O looked at Cheetara. "This ring any bells?" She blinked at him. "I need to brush up on my scriptures, and you seem to know yours well," he explained. She put a hand to her jaw in thought.

"Well, I'm not sure. Some things are hard to interpret. They speak of him as a devourer, but the holy writings were recorded long ago. I have heard of related writings talking about a cataclysm…"

She shook her head. "Most people believe it's just an old legend. But did you ever hear a story about a thousand years ago there being a darkness that was held back?"

Panthro shook his head. Tygra shrugged and Lion-O chewed his lip. "I seem to remember…something about heroes locking a demon away. It's in the lore of the Sword of Omens, but whatever happened was so murky that there's only a little in the archives about it." He looked at the blade with new interest. "You think the Harbinger already tried eating our world and it failed? Because of something to do with the Sword of Omens?"

She shrugged. "It's just an idea. It's a tradition in the temple to pray the darkness does not return, but I never really thought about it."

Robearto tapped Lion-O's arm. "Sorry Robearto, we got off track." Lion-O put the Sword away.

"The woman might know. She spoke of a darkness that she saw with her own eyes. And she spoke of seeing Luna's heart devoured as a young woman."

Kit frowned, tail twitching. "But, that would be…like a bunch of years ago. She'd be super old."

"Three thousand," Robearto said mildly. Kit's jaw dropped, a juice stain making a ring around her mouth.

"That's a lot of birthdays."

Lion-O considered all this and scratched his head. "An army of Mutants to fight a demon? That just doesn't sound like a good idea. Millions would die."

Robearto shrugged helplessly. "I do not know that she cares about the cost. Perhaps she thinks the army will weaken him so she can use her dark magic to stop him. But that is not the only bad part. She has no love for Thundera because of its opposition to her plans and power, and I believe that she wants to destroy it with the armies. If the Sword of Omens stopped the demon before, it may do so again, and she wants to take it. The Alliance is only too willing to help her if it means Thundera will crumble."

Lion-O nodded. "We figured the Alliance would want that as a part of the deal. There are still a lot of holes to ponder, but at least we know two places we'll have to stop on the way to the King's Door." He counted off on his fingers. "Tropo. It's got an Alliance officer and innocent people are being hurt and it's a major control center for our enemies. If we break their hold there it'll be a huge victory. Not to mention it was the last place the kittens' parents were," he added, and both kittens beamed at him. "The other is Lune. It's close to where the King's Door is, along with Icla and Tygra's mother. If we can find this woman we can stop the main force of the Mutation trade, and maybe even figure out what it is we're dealing with in the planet. It sounds like she'd know better than anyone."

Panthro weighed all this and nodded at last. "It's on the way. Besides, it won't be much good to save the world only to have lunatics slaughtering the countries."

Robearto looked at Bill. "I wish we could help them more."

"We wish to aid them as well," said Snarf. Lion-O glanced down at his calf and was surprised to see Snarf without the headdress on and Sarfina standing beside him. "We can show them our shortcuts through the forest, and they'll be that much closer to Tropo." He looked up at the lion and continued, a little more softly, "I wish to speak to your group when you have finished with the Berbils, if that's all right."

Lion-O nodded. Robearto and Bill murmured to each other and said, "We can offer you provisions. Candyfruit can be dried and kept for months, and the juice is good when there is no food or water around. We will prepare some for you."

Belle wiggled in between the Berbils carrying a familiar satchel. "We also have this." She offered this to Tygra shyly.

Tygra looked into the pack. "The book about Mutation! And that microscope I snagged."

Bill nodded. Belle spoke, voice higher and sweeter. "We repaired the microscope. You dropped the bag and one of our Berbils picked it up to return it to you." Tygra winked at her cheerfully and she seemed to giggle.

"We will recover what we can from the bases and use it. If we discover anything useful we will communicate with you. We will help the Snarfs and they will help us. Our forest will not be invaded so easily again." He clenched a little fist and Panthro crossed his arms.

"Do you have communicators?" Bill cocked his head and trundled away. Robearto followed him. After a few moments they returned, fiddling with a worn piece of metal.

"It is old. We used to have them in our houses but they were ruined when Red-Eye attacked. This one can be fixed, and we will repair ours soon." He handed this to Panthro who started looking it over.

"Thank you. We appreciate your help," Lion-O said. Bill offered him a paw and they shook, one hand warm and the other cool and metallic. "Between Panthro and Tygra I'm sure we can install it in the Thundertank. And the provisions are most welcome too."

"We will get them then. Thank you for all your help, friend cats." Bill hurried off into the village and Lion-O watched the Berbils gather to listen and then begin picking fruit. They worked quickly and seemed to know perfectly how to press the juice in small machines that dried the pieces into bright chunks and he watched for a minute, fascinated by their swift motions as they dashed back and forth. The machines were the size of barrels, and Lion-O wished they could remain a little longer to see their homes. They had such a peculiar blend of technology and culture.

Snarf cleared his throat. "I have something to discuss with you."

Lion-O knelt and noticed that Sarfina was sitting very close to Snarf. He wasn't the only one; Cheetara grinned at them. "He's quite a catch, huh?" she asked Sarfina. The female Snarf only smiled and licked Snarf's cheek. This made him puff up in a surprised sort of hiccup, but a dopey smile came onto his face.

Kit giggled and Kat rolled his eyes.

"Ahem…yes, well. That's not what we wanted to talk about." He gave Sarfina a rather sad look and suddenly her gaze dipped, ears sinking.

Cheetara's smile faded to a frown. "What is it? Chief Os-Wald-O is all right with it, isn't he?"

"Yes. But that's not it." Snarf rested his weight on his haunches and raised his chin. "I tried to protect my people, but it wasn't until you showed up that they were delivered. My people had the strength to fight but I was not enough of a leader or warrior to help them see this. You say that our people saved ourselves, but we know this isn't true."

Sarfina inclined her head respectfully. "We needed your help to find our courage. Osbert did his best, but he doesn't seem to think this is enough. He blames himself for not doing more and for saving us…well, me…sooner." She gave him a clearly irritated look.

Cheetara looked at Lion-O and then back at Snarf. "It wasn't your fault Snarf. You did what you could."

"And that wasn't anywhere near enough. I knew too little and I was too weak. If you hadn't shown up when you did, Sarfina might have been the next one eaten. Or any one of our little ones. Our whole tribe could have been captured, and the Berbils enslaved." Snarf turned around in a circle, a nervous motion. "I have a request. I'd like to go with you to Lune, and to deal with this threat."

Lion-O pursed his lips and before he could speak, Sarfina mewled unhappily. "Osbert, you've proven yourself to the tribe. And I told you, I've liked you for months now. I just wanted a sign from you." Cheetara placed a hand on her chest, touched. "After everything you've done for me and our people, why do you want to leave now?"

Panthro looked up as if checking to see if the sun were setting yet. The kittens sank their teeth into their second piece of fruit apiece. "Sarfina, seeing you safe gave me strength to help get our tribe out of the base. And for this threat the cats' help was enough. It might not be for the next time." He paused and examined his feet. "Keeping you and the tribe safe is the most important thing to me. I want nothing more than to stay here and protect our home."

"But you see, Sarfina," Snarf continued, tail flicking in shyness, "I know a little of fighting and scouting, but I'm hardly a warrior. I'm not nearly brave enough, I can't fight or lead a great tribe. And since your mate would one day be chief, I would need to be able to. Not that we'd necessarily end up mates just because we're courting, you understand!" he added hastily. "But it might happen. You know. If things work out. Not that they wouldn't, but-"

She tilted her head and smiled, soft fur brushing her cheek. Snarf licked her pale pink forehead, flustered. "We have sensed something wrong in the earth. The very air is stained by something, and if it really is the Harbinger returning, I have to know and help stop him. It will make me stronger and make our people safe. And…"

He turned to the cats. Lion-O knelt as Snarf paced toward him. "These cats saved our tribe. They gave us courage. I owe them everything. Until this debt is repaid in some way, I must serve them. It is the Snarf way."

Lion-O shook his head but Snarf's nostrils flared fiercely. "Do not try to dissuade me! The earth shakes and you have had visions of dark things happening. I can help you by spying and foraging. Not to mention I don't take up much space." As if to prove this he clambered into Kit's arms. "See? Even a kitten can hold me."

Panthro held up a hand when Lion-O opened his mouth. "Don't even."

He paused. "What?"

"You were going to say something about the fact that there were seven people in your vision and how one of them was really small, and that you think that Snarf should be able to come with us because he's the last member of our team of destiny or something."

Mouth half open, Lion-O found his tongue and said, "Actually, I was going to ask if anyone has a cloth so we can wipe off the kittens' mouths. They're covered in juice."

Panthro's mouth moved and he shut it into a tight, grim line. Cheetara took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped each kitten's mouth, unabashedly using saliva to get the stickiest part off. Kat grimaced. "Ew!"

"Oh hold still." As she tidied their faces she arched an eyebrow at Panthro. "So…"

"Don't start, girl. I was about to start liking you." Panthro looked Snarf up and down – to be fair, at his height it was more like down and down – and said, "You wanna prove yourself and help save the world, huh? And pay us back for helping you help your people?"

Snarf nodded vigorously and Sarfina's tail lowered slightly. He looked at her and said, "Sarfina…there will be no peace here if the world is at stake. If there are resources here more of these drug makers will come. I wish to take the fight to them. Do you understand?"

She sighed. "Of course I do, you silly Snarf. But you know I can't come with you. Our homes need rebuilding and father…he isn't as young as he used to be. He needs help."

"I know. I wouldn't ask you to leave him. It's not that I want to leave, it's just…something I have to do, dear Sarfina." Snarf gazed at her for a long second. "I'll think of you and send my love every night through the stars."

She smiled and nuzzled him. Cheetara wiped her eyes. Tygra rolled his. "Give me a break here…"

Her head snapped to look at him, eyes flaming. "Shut up, it's beautiful." He raised his hands defensively and she returned her attention to the Snarfs saying goodbye. "Snarf, are you sure about this? We appreciate the help, but I think we'll be all right if you want to stay with your people."

He stood up straight. "No, my mind's made up. I'm going with you. Every good adventure needs a Snarf along to help the heroes stay out of trouble. Haven't you ever heard the fairy tales?" He gave Sarfina another quick lick on the whiskers before approaching Lion-O.

The lion extended his arm and Snarf paused before clambering up it and hopping onto his shoulder. "I think you're right. Having a clever, quick scout along might be just what we need." Noticing Panthro's flat look he added, "Hey, there weren't any others in the vision. This is the last one."

This did seem to perk him up. "Fine. Heck, at least I don't have to teach him how to track." Panthro was about to turn around but instead hesitated and pointed one large, clawed finger in Snarf's face. "But if you mess in my tank, we're going to have words."

Snarf wrinkled his nose. "What do you think I am? I use the tree like everyone else." The kittens giggled and he stomped indignantly on Lion-O's shoulder with a hind foot. "What?"

"Whenever you are ready, we will show you the secret paths through the forest." One of the Berbils said this, sitting on the ground beside three Snarfs. The Thundertank suddenly rolled up and Panthro twitched when it shifted into view from behind the great leaves and trunks. But he saw no scratches or dings, for his face relaxed and Lion-O spotted a Berbil behind the wheel like a toy, waving cheerfully. "Shall we go?"

The provisions were loaded up and goodbyes were said, and Lion-O felt sure it would take days to get rid of the tickle in his hands from all the Snarf whiskers that brushed against them in fond farewell. But at long last they were in the tank and the Berbil and Snarfs began to lead them out of the village, into a darker, shadier part of the forest. Lion-O took out the map and started marking places. Where the ancient glyph of a Snarf was he wrote, "Snarf Tribe, friends." Beside it he scrawled a fair bear face and added, "Berbil Village, friends."

Cheetara watched the Snarfs take to the trees and the Berbil roll along a new, earthy path and bash small branches out of the way to clear their route, leaning into the front from her place in the back seat. Snarf made a place in Lion-O's lap, looking nervous and strangely excited. "Think we'll still be on time?"

"I think so. We'll be well on the way to Tropo as soon as we hit the river and follow it to the sea." Panthro went at a careful pace, about twenty steps behind the Berbil. "Hey, uh, I meant to say…thanks. For…y'know."

Cheetara's ears perked and Lion-O did not look at the pair. If he did he might laugh and that would embarrass Panthro completely. "You're welcome, Panthro. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll bail me out of plenty of trouble too." She patted his arm and the panther grunted.

"Yeah, yeah. And I was also going to say that your technique could use work. Training and such." Her tail bristled and her scowl was something fierce. "Not like that! I'm just saying I've had training and if you wanted to do extra damage, you could be a real terror if you got some basics in combat under your belt. Same for the tiger." There was silence for a minute as this was digested. "Since we're…on the same team and everything."

Cheetara's grin returned so quickly that Lion-O had to cover his mouth. Snarf watched this with curiosity. "Aw, you think of us as teammates! Sure Panthro, we'll train with you." She gave him a merry, chaste peck on the cheek like one might do for a grumpy uncle and he growled, slumping in his seat like an angry child.

"You kids are gonna drive me insane." Lion-O just laughed and held on to Snarf as the leaves blew by and the leagues rolled under the treads.

* * *

"I had not anticipated this."

She stood up, the silks of her gown sliding over the floor like water. "Not only have Tug-Mug and Gyp been captured, but Red-Eye has been wounded and the trade in this sector is…"

A great map carved from ice rested on the floor. It was an easy element to manipulate, and it was good for gauging distances and routes. She stepped onto it and crushed a small section beneath her boot. "Ruined. It will take weeks to plant new forces." Disgusted, the Luna stalked away again, sitting on a chair formed out of ice. Everything in the room was clear and pale and frozen, and she sighed into her palm. A delicate, refined goblet appeared from her breath and she idly placed a finger in it, stirring the air. Liquid streamed from the tip of her finger, dark blue and pungently sweet. When it was full she ceased this and sipped it instead.

"And my talisman has been broken. Slithe was beaten back, my minions are bested and captured…surely the Sword of Omens is at play." She eyed the place she'd crushed and sipped again. "Yes, the Thunderans must realize something is wrong. So they send…someone. A young lion, a servant of the crown? A hoary panther, a guttersnipe tiger, a religious fanatic cheetah and two bratty children aid him as well."

She finished her drink and cast the glass aside. It shattered and the ice splintered into snowflakes. "They'll make for Tropo soon, and I can send no more Luna. Tug-Mug and Red-Eye could barely tolerate the heat as it was, and Tropo's tropical weather would be torture. Nothing would get done. Alluro's already at the glaciers, and Amok is still working in the mountains."

Her old lips curled. "And while these cats play hero, you return once more old foe. First Luna, then Plundarr…will Third Earth be your next meal? Keep gorging. I'll have you dealt with if only I can keep these hairy beasts out of my plans. You will have the army of armies to face, and then when you are weak and they all lay dead from battle…then you will be mine. Vengeance."

Her eyes trailed down the forest area into the river and to the ocean. "They'll have to continue southeast until they reach the coast and then they'll take a ferry to Tropo. The peninsula will be flooded by then and the city will be an island. I suppose I really only need to stall them long enough for the northern glaciers to form."

She drifted off, eyeing where the river split into lakes and ponds and even the Fel Sea. It had flooded to join with the ocean ever since the annual thawing of the northern mountains, but they would have to go around or through it to reach the coast and then the ferry. Little did they know of the crime there that had blossomed. "A few cutthroats to thin their ranks would do nicely."

Fingers searching out a pad of buttons on her chair, she called up a messenger screen and a Luna appeared on it. His skin was pale blue and his hair dark gray. "My Lady, what can I do for you?"

"Fros, find me a few pirates in the Fel Sea area. I want the most black-hearted rogues you can find, ones that have reach and strength. Tell them they'll receive more gold than they know what to do with if they only do a little job."

He nodded. "Of course my Lady. Right away. What shall I tell them is the job description?"

Her smile was faint, proper. "Tell them they'll be cat fishing."

He seemed a little confused but he nodded. "I'm searching our database now. I think I have a group that might be interested. Shall I send them a preliminary message?" He gave her the name and it was familiar, notorious. She nodded.

"Fine. Patch them through to me." Fros' face vanished and she waited. No captain or crew would pass up such an opportunity. Not for as much gold and power as she could offer.

A few minutes later an image appeared on the screen. Rather than Fros' neat face, this one was tawny and ragged, and his hair and beard hung in white hanks around his jaws and face. His clothes were rough and yet of a distinguished make, and she noticed patches of metal on his face, on his shoulders. One eye seemed to be cold and beady, and the other had some kind of mechanical patch. His helmet was horned and a captain's hat rested atop it, and more metal marked his left arm. Some pirates felt the need to look refined to strike fear and inadequacy into their enemies. This one was brutal and did not care to hide it. He was dangerous. "Who are you to commune with my ship?" His voice was soft, cultured. Not what one might expect from such a brute.

"I am an important lady willing to pay handsomely to have some felines taken care of when they reach the Fel Sea." He appeared to be a mixed breed of two cats to her eyes – a tiger and some other breed – for dark stripes seemed to slice his face and bared right arm. Perhaps he would have feline loyalties? "I make it my business to keep tabs on forces that might at some point be useful."

"Why do you want these cats dead?" he asked. It was fascinating to see the eye patch slide up so he could see her better. Both eyes were intact. Perhaps the patch acted as an aiming aid.

"They are getting in the way of a very powerful trade. An illegal one. My men were unprepared to deal with these cats and I feel perhaps it is time to enlist some…expert help." He smiled, showing a few sharp teeth. One was gold and another had a diamond in it.

"We are not for hire, woman. Have you never heard tales of the Berserkers, their wild ways and the destruction they leave in their path? The Fel Sea belongs to Thundera in name but it has been bought with the blood we shed to claim it. It will be ours along with all the ships in its docks. We do not care to do you any favors."

"If you weren't interested at all you would have shut off your messenger's signal so we couldn't communicate," she said. His smile faded a little. "I have heard of Berserkers. Dirty, underhanded rogues that sneak up in the dead of night to ships and slit the throats of those on board. You claim the riches and the ships as your own and set the heads of the dead on spears to terrify merchants into doing what you want. You're bullies and brigands, without honor and gifted in killing and trickery. The blood you've shed is dwarfed only by your greed."

His face was even. Whether he'd expected her to know so much of their tactics was unimportant; she leaned on her hand and continued, "It is to that love of murder and gold that I appeal. Kill these cats and I will give you ten thousand gold-"

His lips shifted imperceptibly. His eyes remained the same. "Ten thousand?"

"Each. That should be plenty enough to buy weapons to blow any of your competitors to smithereens." She smiled when she heard men muttering in shock behind him. So the crew was listening in. Good. Even if this captain were too cowardly, his men would jump at the chance for these riches. But the pure coldness and quietness of his face spoke of something brave, if cutthroat. "I can send you a description of them, and you should expect them to be heading along the coast from the river to reach the ferry to Tropo in the next couple of weeks. Kill as many of them as you can however you wish, but I have a catch; one of the cats may have a sword on him. I want it. Send me that and I will pay you."

He was considering this silently, and gave her a cunning look. "Why the sword?"

"It may prove useful to me. And it's as good a piece of evidence as any. Oh, and, if you attempt to betray me? Expect consequences." He curled her fingers and ice crusted over her nails, forming claws.

"She's a witch. Mad old broad," one muttered. "Working for a woman will bring disaster." But the captain only smiled.

"I accept your terms. I enjoy working with dangerous people." He stepped away from whatever on the ship was used to display images and bowed slightly. "Hammerhand and the Berserkers at your service. We will not send the sword until we're paid twenty percent down. Just a precaution you understand."

She nodded, eyes trailing to his left arm. He was a cyborg all right. Where it came from his shoulder was a robotic limb, and at the elbow instead of a wrist and hand forming, there was simply what looked like a silver sledgehammer. He stood well, only stooping a little on that side, but its weight was evident.

The Luna smiled. "Good luck gentlemen."

* * *

Slithe sat for a long while as he pondered what was before him.

He had been bested by children and the ragtag group of cats and driven out of Rana Village. Then he heard their plant in the village had been routed. Instead of being able to go after their agent and kill her, he had been told to go after those cats. It had taken some time to recover, but after a few days he'd made his way to the forest, confidence and cunning returning. He would team up with Tug-Mug, Gyp – the feathery freak – and Red-Eye, and together they would easily crush the cats.

But instead he sat on the ground, looking at what had been Tug-Mug and Gyp's base. Robot teddy bears were deconstructing it and taking the metals away. His fellows were nowhere to be seen.

The cats had been here. And they had won.

It was on a fallen log that bugs were busy claiming for their own that Slithe sat, watching the bears and what looked like furry red animals rush around, often assisting each other. They had not seen him yet, or so he thought for a while. He took a bit of one of the beetles trying to scuttle under the wood and noticed one of the red and yellow creatures watching him from the bough of a tree, high above him. Seeing that he'd been noticed, the creature said, "Are you a friend or foe to the denizens of the forest?"

Slithe crunched on the carapace and stood up. "I had friends here. Did cats come through and fight them?"

The beast's brows lowered. "You are with the Mutation traders. Our friends the cats did help us fight them, several days ago. The Mutation traders will be dealt with legally, and if you leave without causing trouble we will let you go in peace. If you try to attack us or harm our people, you will be forcibly removed."

He couldn't help it; he laughed. "You think a few of your kind can beat me? The cats deal with your foes and you think you're big and powerful now!" He took out a canister of Mutation and swelled to his greater form, breath hissing between his teeth as his wings unfolded. "Do you still think you can bid me leave?"

Unnervingly the beast gave him a cool look. "Like we practiced, friends."

The sound of metal made him turn his sinuous neck to see the bears forming lined ranks, some with spikes on their bodies and others with bent arms as if ready to hurl themselves at him. And when he raised his head he saw many more of the beasts, eyes glittering at him in the trees and looking down at him in severe disapproval, a ring that stretched high through the trees.

It took about four minutes for Slithe to finally give up and blunder out of the trees, back the way he'd come. The bears threw their arms – metal arms, like boomerangs! – one more time and they bounced off his hide and returned to them, leaving bruises at such close range. He panted, covered in scratches and tooth marks, and he decided to try flying around the forest instead.

And so he did, forcing himself not to cower when he spotted more creatures watching him darkly from the depths of the trees, staying several feet away from the edge of the forest in spite of its long route. He'd rather tangle with the cats than the horde of creatures.

And so the Snarfs bought the cats a little more time and drove off a feared Alliance general.

* * *

 **End of Episode 7**


	8. Chapter 8

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 8**

 **Troubled Waters**

* * *

"All right…go!"

Kat sniffed the berries in his hands, blindfolded. "They smell fruity, like sweetshrub berries." He fiddled with one between his thumb and forefinger. "Smooth, juicy. Sweetshrubs have texture on them. So I'm going to say…"

He sniffed again, daring to lick the exterior and then spitting. "Nope. Poisonous."

Panthro grunted in approval. Everyone else applauded and he took off his blindfold, grinning. "What would you have done if I'd actually swallowed one?" he asked.

Panthro took the berries and crushed them underfoot. Snarf took the chance to sniff them, checking the odor. "You're not dumb enough to do that. But I'd have made you stick a finger down your throat and hurl it up again. Nothing else to do out in the wild." Kat grimaced.

"So, now we've both passed your tests on tracking, detecting bad berries, and finding freshwater by following plants. Not to mention you've been having Cheetara and Tygra practice defense for hours. Can we please eat dinner now?" Kit asked, hauling her brother to his feet. "Lion-O and Tygra are making dumplings and I'm starved!"

"Correction," Tygra called. They could see him and Lion-O around the fire just a short distance away, and Cheetara was prodding the fire under the pot. "We made dumplings. They're done. Everyone get over here."

Snarf walked patiently alongside Panthro and the kittens charged back, skipping over rocks and ferns. They'd been out of the forest for a few days now, and the river was an excellent place for fishing and filling their canteens. A couple more days and the Fel Sea would come into view, and the kittens were excited; they'd never seen the sea before. Neither had Lion-O, although he was a little more nervous about the matter for some reason.

Snarf was busy taking in everything the group did and learned. All these things would be very useful to know if ever he did have to lead the Snarf Tribe. Leading…it made his stomach curdle. Almost as much as missing Sarfina did. He'd gotten her and the others back only to leave them so quickly.

But he was sure he'd made the right decision. Every time he looked into a beautiful school of fish or admired the bloom of harvesting fruit, something in his heart sank, as if he were looking at one of the last. Snarfs were very sensitive to such things, and he had to know what was wrong. The chief had supported this decision, although perhaps for different reasons.

"My daughter Sarfina has been fond of you for some time, Osbert. I am not opposed to this now that you've proven your courage and loyalty. But she can only court someone seeking the chiefhood, and one brave act does not mean you would make a good chief. When I was young I had to study the world, although I did not go as far as you will have to. Come back to us even wiser and braver, and I will be delighted to train you in the ways of the chief as a suitable heir. And you will be able to protect our people and Sarfina…probably even better than I."

He shook himself, paying attention to Panthro instead. The wounds he'd gained had mostly healed over the past few days, but the deepest ones were still in the process of fading. Tygra's burn had already sprouted new fur and it was nearly invisible, and Cheetara's bruise was a faint green color.

They had all shown such courage to help his people. Snarf had to marvel as he watched them, for he'd never really been in a group before. Not like this one anyway. Panthro had been training Cheetara and Tygra with some exercises to help them learn to break their opponents' defenses. Cheetara in particular needed hand to hand assistance because without her staff, she was much less powerful because of how light she was. Tygra was willing to learn anything; the only issue with that was that he bored easily. And of course the kittens – and even Lion-O – paid attention when he showed them different ways of tracking, of foraging. Snarf found that his input was greatly valued when he told them about the plants of the forest and the way the land worked.

Lion-O had already put out the bowls and was filling each one. Snarf noticed that he'd taken care to put a little extra fish in Snarf's bowl and was touched. Fish was indeed one of his favorite foods, and the stew's simmering dumplings and fish had been making his nose twitch. When everyone had found a snug spot by the fire they started to eat and Snarf sighed.

This sort of thing felt nice. Being around people. Perhaps he'd missed out after all being a rather lonesome sort. He thought of Sarfina and slurped his stew, stomach warming pleasantly.

"That shortcut really helped us stay on track." Panthro was sketching in the dirt with a stick, as if plotting a route. "We'll stay with the river, heading toward the Fel Sea. I'd like to know what state Tropo's in."

Kat and Kit watched him draw, chewing contentedly. "So, is Tropo in the Fel Sea? I thought it was further north," Kat said.

"It is. But the Fel Sea is the best way to get there." At the blank looks Panthro didn't quite smile. "See, the mountains north of it often holds glaciers when winter comes for that part of the world. When it's all frozen, the ocean is lower than during the warm months and there are some straits we could have taken. But when summer comes the glaciers melt and flood the ocean for a few months, which is what's going on right now. The levels are higher and the best way to Tropo is on a ferry. The only way to get there with the Thundertank is to sail across the Fel Sea to get to the strip where the ferry sails from." He doodled this on the ground to help them see and Snarf marveled. This panther knew very much about the world.

"If the Fel Sea were a little higher it would have flooded out all the towns and lowlands and it would be part of the ocean, but because of its level it's considered a different entity. There are cliffs that separate the two. The reason we have to get past Tropo soon is because the glaciers return when the cold months do and we won't be able to get through the mountain pass. We need to have a few months to get through it." He put down the stick. "Eat the green plants, they're good for your stomach," he added.

They obeyed and only made slight faces. Both had finished their bowls and looked into the pot hopefully. "There wouldn't be one more super-duper delicious dumpling anyone would share, would there?" Kit asked innocently. They looked from cat to cat but it wasn't until they looked at Lion-O that they were rewarded. He gave them a long, serene look and sighed, forking over his last dumpling.

Snarf smiled as the kittens thanked him and tore into it. Lion-O had a kind heart. He'd known that the moment he'd met him, and it was nice to see more proof. Tygra stirred the pot for a little more fish and said, "Lion-O, you're a big softy."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Lion-O leaned back on the ground and looked up at the sky. "Panthro, do you know much else about the area?"

"Not much. I've never come this particular route. Tygra, what about you? You've done some globetrotting." Panthro took a swig of water to wash down the broth. Tygra considered this and looked up at the sky, yellow eyes orange in the firelight.

"Hm. Well, I've been to a couple of the villages closer to Tropo. Lot of amphibious creatures, and you'll find more tigers here because they like the water more than other cats. But as far as the land and the cultures…no, not much. Never stayed around here for long. Still, most of it seemed rich when I looked at it, except for one area. It's the oldest one, settled fifteen years ago. I don't know why they let it get so crappy. Everywhere else has flourished."

Snarf waited for a pause before clearing his throat. "Well, I've heard a little about the area. Travelers would speak of it when they came back through the forest." Everyone looked at him and his tail frisked awkwardly. So much attention was foreign to him, and now he actually noticed it when lives weren't on the line. "You've told me about the Mutation traders being in Tropo, but there are other things to fear as we near the Fel Sea. The grass fades to beaches, and the forests are damper. There are odd beings in these forests, very different from ours. I think we should steer clear of them, along with the rockier shores of the cliffs of the sea. There are caverns and holes there, and there are…stories about them." He didn't want to frighten the children so he simply gave Lion-O a slight nod, eying each of the grown cats. Lion-O returned the motion with only his eyes. "But what I'm really worried about are the pirates that are said to roam the sea."

Kat's face lit up. "Pirates? Like treasure hunters and ships and peg-leg pirates? Cool!"

"Don't forget pillaging, plundering, massacring, and destroying," Cheetara said disapprovingly. "There are good pirates in stories Kat, but the real deal isn't so nice. We used to get old reports from Mi-Ao's men about pirates ransacking some of their ships and killing everyone on board."

Kat's tail lowered. "Oh. Sorry."

Her face softened. "It's not your fault." She affectionately ruffled his hair. "Tell you what, when you grow up you can be the first ever good pirate. You won't steal and you'll hunt old treasures with secret maps. You'll be Captain Kat."

He grinned again, enthused. "That would be cool! Yeah, I'll be a good pirate. Kit, you can swab the deck."

"Nuh-uh, I'll be Co-Captain Kit!" She looked indignant.

Considering this he allowed, "First Mate Kit? I'll even let you watch for land from the crow's nest."

Kit weighed this as she finished her half of the dumpling. "Deal. But I get a bandana. Hats mess up my hair."

Everyone laughed save Panthro, who sort of smirked and Snarf's worry about pirates ebbed away. Perhaps there would be some, but as long as they were careful if they sailed, surely they'd be reasonably safe. And they'd avoid the cliffs and stick to the path so they could reach the ferry – Tygra had told him about it – so they could reach the tip of the peninsula. They would be careful and travel would be smooth.

Tygra had withdrawn a comb from somewhere on his person and Snarf watched in fascination as he let down one braid and started combing it out, mouthing numbers. "What are you doing, Tygra?" he asked.

"Grooming myself."

"I know that. I wanted to know why you're counting."

Tygra paused and Cheetara snorted with laughter. "You don't believe that old tale, do you?" she asked. Snarf looked at her and she explained, "There's a saying that if you brush or comb your hair one hundred times before bed, it'll be healthier and shinier than if you didn't."

Tygra carefully redid the braid when he'd finished and flipped it casually over his shoulder, taking the next one. "Contrary to popular belief, looking fabulous takes work. Even when one is naturally gifted." He prodded Lion-O, who was sipping his broth. "You need a comb? Your hair's looking a little…crazy."

Lion-O tucked his ponytail out of sight. "I'll do it later." Wilykit clambered around his back and examined it.

"Oh, I can comb it for you. Take out the holder and I'll even braid it!" Lion-O snatched at his hair self-consciously.

"Seriously, I can do it. Thank you, but I…well, I don't take my hair down in front of other people. Ever." Snarf cocked his head and the kittens shared a confused look.

"Why not?" Cheetara set down her bowl.

He shrugged. "I just don't." Taking her bowl up, Lion-O gathered all the dishes and said, "I'll wash these out." Even Panthro quirked a brow and Tygra just kept combing, eyes following Lion-O.

"Is it a bald spot? I've heard of a few remedies for them."

Lion-O rolled his eyes. "As interesting as my hair issues are, I'd like to drop it. I don't like my hair down. End of story. Neither do you, last I checked."

"Because it's so long. And a tiger tradition." Tygra just shrugged and then looked forlorn. "Tell you what, if you can get my rations pack out of the Thundertank's trunk for me, I won't ask anymore. This evening."

"Get it yourself," Cheetara said, prodding him with her tail. He made a face at her, still combing.

"He's already up. And I'm on sixty-three."

Lion-O did indeed get the pack, although it took a minute. Cheetara got up to help him because the small bag in question had been buried deep under their other belongings. Snarf got up after a minute just to see what else was in that trunk. He saw extra clothes, some first aid, a couple of books on geography, some extra weapons…

Cheetara frowned as she held the weapons out of the way so Lion-O could pull the pack out. It was a pair of swords whose sheaths were attached by a leather strap and she couldn't curb her curiosity apparently; she took them out as Lion-O set the other items back in place. The hilts were gold and turquoise colored, worn and tended. Grasping one she pulled it out enough to tug the blade out a bit. It was slightly curved; twin swords? Snarf had heard of them but he and Cheetara shared a strange look. Lion-O had only ever used one sword, the Sword of Omens.

"Hey, Lion-O? Are these yours?" Panthro didn't strike him as a swordsman, and they were too small to be comfortably wielded by a large cat, even though they were only a few inches shy of being as long as Cheetara's leg. Lion-O noticed her holding them for the first time and seemed startled.

"Ah…well, just extras, in case the Sword of Omens needs rest." He hastily took them and stowed them out of sight. "So, here's the pack."

Cheetara blinked as he handed it to her and shut the trunk firmly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snoop."

Lion-O hesitated. "No, it's fine. I don't know why…never mind. I'm just tired I guess." They returned to Tygra – who immediately took out a tiny tin container of, what else, tea – but Cheetara kept an eye on Lion-O as he stoked the fire. Snarf was less interested by it; everyone had things they kept to themselves. Tygra set about boiling a little water and seemed happy as a boy in a toy store to be brewing tea.

"I can't believe I've gone this long without a good cup of tea." He sighed and Kat sniffed the brew.

"How long's it been?"

"Almost four days. I actually had to make do with a quick mix the other day, it was awful." Tygra made extra and offered a taste to the others. Cheetara didn't like tea so she declined, and he just gave her a pitying look. Panthro seemed to like it a fair bit, as he accepted a cup. Kat and Kit both tried it and Kat's mouth fell open, dripping the stuff onto his lap.

"Ew!" Kit seemed thoughtful, rolling it around in her mouth before requesting a little berry juice to sweeten it.

Lion-O's face was blank and Snarf saw something like Kat's expression in the way his fingers curled as he handed the cup back. "Thanks. But I'm not much one for tea, I guess."

"Good taste is a heavy gift," Tygra murmured sagely. He lifted his cup in Panthro's direction and then clinked it against Kit's cup. "To us."

The panther grunted. Tygra poured another cup and offered it to Snarf. "What about you my friend? Do Snarfs like tea?"

Snarf took the cup in his little paws and lapped at the surface. To his surprise the strong, bitter taste was actually pleasant. "I suppose we do. Or at least, I do." He lapped at the hot liquid and Tygra seemed gleeful to have another convert.

When at last they turned in for the night Snarf settled in quite easily. The kittens liked it when he slept by them – which he did sometimes – but they tended to move as they slept, and he'd already woken up twice with a foot up his bum. Lion-O had taken first watch last night so Tygra was the one sitting up for guard duty.

The night was cooler than usual, and he supposed it was from the breezes that rose off the ocean. Snarf curled in on himself in discomfort. In the forest there was always a fern or plant to shelter one from the wind, but right here was clear. The fire was nice but somehow the gusts seemed to spin around it and hit his face and back.

Lion-O had tucked himself into his bedroll but paused when Snarf rolled over twice in quick succession. "You okay?"

"A bit chilly. It's the first time it's gotten so cool." Snarf lifted his head when Lion-O moved his blanket.

"Yeah. Here, you can sleep by my shoulder. It's warmer." He glanced at the kittens. "And I won't kick you in the butt," he added softly. Snarf couldn't help but smile, and in spite of feeling a little awkward, he crawled over and curled up by Lion-O's head. It was indeed warmer, and he yawned in the pleasant spot. "'Night."

"Goodnight." Snarf looked around at the group sleepily and finally fell into slumber, pondering their niceness and how good it felt to be part of this odd, homey sort of team.

* * *

"Fresh fish, like none you've ever tasted. The beauty and prosperity of the Fel Sea is unparalleled!" The salamander waved an orange and black-spotted arm. "Or take a tour by the cliffs on our personal path! Eighty-percent chance you'll make it back, the best odds around!"

Tygra eyed the place where the path was. The sand turned to rock as the land sloped and it looked deathly still beyond it. There was a slight gate behind the salamander and he knelt to murmur to Snarf, "Three gold says there's a disclaimer on his sign."

Snarf squinted at it and said, "Yes. No one can sue if a loved one is lost because they offer fair warning at the beginning that one may die. Whether by drowning, plummeting to their deaths, or…being eaten. All warranties null and void if anyone actually goes inside the cliffs."

"Joy." They passed the path up and the Thundertank rolled to the crest of a small hill and Tygra shielded his eyes with a hand. "Wow. Look at it."

Snarf climbed on top of Lion-O's head to see and his breath caught. Granted the immediate area was beachy and almost like a desert where the land swooped into crags and cliffs, but on the either side the land pitched downward into the Fel Sea, and he could see out for leagues over the natural overlook. The water was deep blue like a jewel and he could smell the salt from here. Strangely, shelves of land seemed to be sculpted into the side of the incline, holding buildings that would have crumbled in steep land. Pinpricks of brown and silver showed him where ships were, and flecks of color and smoke marked buildings and stalls. The water was a lush sight and the plants down below and beyond it seemed a darker, more exotic green that made his forest home feel plain in comparison. The buildings seem to descend in levels toward the dock area, which was surprisingly several levels lower; people had to take stairs to get down there. Probably because of the tides and flooding, Snarf realized.

"So, we have to go from here to the other side?" he asked. Cheetara had taken out the map and looked it over with Lion-O.

"Yep. There's a little distance to the coast where the ferry crosses the ocean flooding to Tropo, and then we'll have to take another ferry to get out of Tropo once we're done there. It has a path or two listed here, but…"

Lion-O looked over her shoulder and appeared nervous. "If we count out the forests, it looks like the only two ways across are the path over there-" he pointed at the route up the cliffs behind the disclaimer sign that seemed to stretch around one side of the sea like a great wall, "or sailing to the other side."

"Wow, there are tunnels in the cliffs. There's a red mark. Let's see the legend; red means 'avoid at all costs.'" Cheetara eyed the plain, innocent, craggy cliffs and rolled up the map, handing it to Lion-O. They were about level with the docks and daytime sea, so no doubt their innards flooded when the tide came in as well. "So I guess we'll need to pay for passage on a boat."

Lion-O gazed out at the sea, mouth still. Snarf peeped down at the buildings, listening to the clang and bustle. It seemed more like a docking and trading post than village. Everyone was running everywhere, carrying anything and everything. He could only make out a few ships, as the water faded in the distance to a blue blur. "Why don't we scout around and see if anyone will take us across when they sail?" Kit suggested. "Gee, there are a bunch of stalls. There, there, and there…Rana Village was way smaller than this."

Snarf let Cheetara pick him up and scratch behind his ears. For some reason she and the children especially liked doing this sort of thing, and Snarf couldn't say he minded. It also gave him a better view of the villages. "Perhaps we should split into small groups to scout out the docks. And I'd like to know what's so bad about the cliffs."

Lion-O was already folding his cloak around himself. "Me too. I would personally prefer staying on dry land, but if a ship's what we need, it's what we need. Going around the other side through the forests would take a long time. How about groups of two or three?"

Kat immediately stepped over to his sister. Tygra shook his head. "No, there'll be trouble if you two are together." Both kittens looked indignant. "I mean for us! You bailed us out before, I'm keeping at least one of you around at all times to watch my back," Tygra continued.

Their faces immediately flushed with pleasure and Kit giggled. Lion-O smiled. "How about one of you goes with Tygra, and one of you goes with-"

"Cheetara." Panthro said this, not brusquely, but with finality. Lion-O looked at him and he said, "You think I'm gonna let you wander off alone again? Knowing you you'll bring more people, and I'm getting claustrophobic in the Thundertank as it is. Snarf, you can come with us if you want."

Snarf agreed and climbed onto Lion-O's shoulder. He didn't know Panthro well enough to know for sure, but he almost seemed protective of the lion. Cheetara took Kit's hand and Kat stood beside Tygra. "All right," Lion-O said. "Tygra, you seem to be good with cats and travelers, so see if you can find any tigers or other felines on the level nearest the docks." Tygra saluted him.

Cheetara was scanning the densest stores and stalls. "I'll talk to the merchants by the stalls down there," she said, pointing.

"So that leaves the other side to us," Panthro said. "Kids, you listen for bits of information while Cheetara and Tygra are asking questions. Notice if people seem nervous and be charming. People say more than they should around kids."

"Roger."

Snarf nestled his claws delicately into the cloth on Lion-O's shoulder, careful not to tear. "Shall we meet up in a few hours? Say…that square?" The clearing was just large enough to see from where they stood, and on the flat, colorful stones they could see bug-sized performers and people dashing from once side to the other.

"Sounds good. By dusk, no later." Lion-O waited as Panthro started the Thundertank and everyone climbed in to make the trek down the path to the docks. And Snarf never left his shoulder, trying not to let his tail whisk nervously.

* * *

Kit had never been to Tropo or the Fel Sea, and to be honest she'd only been through a little of Thundera in her short life. So the performers dazzled her in the way only bright colors and beautiful costumes could enchant a child. The wildcat dancers had never performed tricks like this, and it was something new entirely.

By the bars and trading stalls there were women in shiny fabric and long skirts of every kind of species. She saw a completely black cat robed in blue sequins and white beads, a fox woman swathed in gold and orange. And once, a white wolf howled a song so heartbreaking and beautiful that her throat hurt and she had to force her feet not to dance.

Cheetara spared admiring eyes for all the performers, but never did her hand leave Kit's and she kept her ears tuned to bits of conversation. The smell of ale and cheeses on bread made her homesick, but it wasn't until she passed a tailor's stall that she paused. The cuts were good and there were dozens of colors, and the woman running it had lovely stitches going across her clothes intricately. Some kind of slim lizard, her belly seemed long and her chest flat. She turned a smooth eye on Kit's rags, though the girl was too busy gawking at a fire eater to pay any mind. "She could use some new clothes, I think."

Cheetara nodded. "Kit, what colors do you like?"

Dreamily, Kit waved a hand. "I like pink. Ooh, and purple." She didn't even bother looking, just staring at a weasel flipping and contorting as he cracked silly jokes. Cheetara used her free hand to fish a few coins out of her pocket to pay the woman, accepting a few swatches of cloth.

"What about your brother?"

"Uh…he likes orange. But he likes brown and blue too." Deciding that brown would go better with orange – and wouldn't give anyone a headache if they looked at him in direct light like blue and orange might – Cheetara picked two more out and tucked them under her arm.

"Thank you." She smiled at the woman, who smiled back. Cats would have been intimidated by her sharp teeth but Cheetara was not; Kit moved with her a little slowly, trying to hear the punch line. "Kit, I know the show is neat but you have to move with me hon." This was said gently and Kit shook her head as if coming out of a dream.

"Yeah. Sorry. It's just so cool! I want to be a performer someday. If the pirate thing doesn't work out."

One man nearby flinched when she said "pirate" and Cheetara looked at him. He was a grizzled, burly dog missing an ear with a hole in the other one. His clothes were dirty and his coat was white, and his jaw was thick and square. "Best not talk about pirates in this area," he said softly. "You're new here, ain't you lasses?"

"We are. Has there been trouble with piracy lately?" Cheetara tucked Kit close to her side and put a hand casually to her hip, close enough to reach her staff if she needed it. He seemed decent enough, and was in the process of moving barrels from a stack nearer the water's edge to one of the buildings – some kind of restaurant perhaps. Cheetara kept pace with him, giving him a friendly look.

"Of course. Always has been some, but not like lately. It's hard to sail the sea without running into some blackguard spewing venom and cannon fire. I lost m'ear only four months ago. Hammerhand and his crew are seeking to run the whole Fel Sea if you ask anyone around." He picked up another barrel and Cheetara did not question him until he'd successfully sat it down on the other side.

"Hammerhand? Is he the pirate leader?" She'd never heard that name in particular in the wild stories that made their way to Dera's Run. She'd only heard titles; Crusher of Skulls, Bane of the Sea. Of course, men deep in their cups tended to exaggerate the tales. He was taken for a legend more than a real figure. But this fellow nodded darkly.

"Aye, he's been collecting forces for years now. He's been a plague but a bearable one until recently. He leveled a fish farm and the homes of the fishermen and pressed them into working on stolen ships for him, save for those that refused. He left them on the Marooning Rock to find a way through the cliffs. None do. The Berserkers are one of the biggest pirate groups around now." The cat picked up another barrel and transported it once more. "You'll want to steer clear of them, lasses. Pirates have always been an issue around here, but we'll make do. Always have."

He paused at last and said, "Where are my manners? Bullie's the name. Are either of you in need of some assistance?"

Cheetara found she liked this guy. He seemed like a big sweetie. "No thank you, just trying to find out about the area. Although if you know of a ship that might help us and a few friends across the Fel Sea, I'd appreciate that."

He scratched his chin. "My cap'n might be willing to do that. Our ship'll have room until we make the return trip."

"One way is all we need. Although we do have a certain vehicle…" Cheetara added, imagining Panthro's face if they had to leave the Thundertank. "When will you be leaving if your captain approves?"

"Tomorrow morning. We sail in the daylight. We've a good engine installed along with our sails, so we could get across in about ten hours if the water is good."

Kit peeped into one of the barrels. "Wow, look at the fish!" A slippery silver tail popped her in the nose and she snorted. "Ah, it's salty!"

Bullie grinned, jocular and likeable. "Aye, we don't fish ourselves but our ship's big enough to transfer big catches from one part of the sea to the other. Eateries sell cooked fish by the ton every day, and they need a rich supply to keep everyone fed and happy. It's good, honest work." He seemed proud of it. "The prices have been going up a bit what with big catches being rarer, but there are always dry spells. It's the ideal job for me in spite of that."

"I'm sure it is, Bullie." Cheetara glanced over her shoulder. "Where would your captain be?"

"Haggling with one of the cooks no doubt. I'll go and fetch him." Bullie did so and Cheetara wondered if for once they might actually get where they needed to go without a hitch.

* * *

"Charms for protection! Blessed by the saints and prophets, these bands of silver will send any beast or demon fleeing! These charms, on the other hand, will increase a man's potency or a woman's fertility! Want beautiful daughters or strapping sons? Buy two for the price of one and wear them when you woo your lover!" The feline was spotted, white and black, waving at uninterested passerby. Tygra imagined Cheetara's face if she should see something that called superstitious charms holy and all but laughed.

Kat tugged his arm. "What's potency?"

His laughter immediately faded. "Uh…tell you when you're older." The boy grumbled something but let Tygra lead him over. The cat looked to be a hybrid of snow leopard and tiger, and he wore a dark cap and vest.

"Ah, a cousin! Care for a trinket or bauble? May save your life in these lands." Tygra waved a hand and noticed another couple of cats around the stall. One was a girl, pale and pretty in red cloth. She waved and turned pink when he grinned at her and gave a slight bow. No one could say his mother never told him how to treat a girl like a lady.

"Actually, I might be more inclined to pay for information about…let's say, ships available to transport people. And those cliffs, actually." He jerked his head toward the great rocks in the distance and the cat nodded.

"Ships I can't help you with. We only deal with the silver traders that sail here with their blessed ore for our goods, and they bring them off that dock." He gestured lavishly toward the metal and wood walkways and Tygra saw a few other men boarding ships and removing goods far down below. "But the cliffs are indeed perilous. They are rich with minerals and treasures, but anytime a group of miners has sailed to one of the openings in the stone, they've never returned. Rumors of a demon living within the caverns run amok. Pity they didn't have our silver to protect them."

Kat examined one of the pieces and sniffed it, licking one edge. "Where's this from?"

"One of the great temples in the west! Our fine friends in the house of the Creator in the Imperial City sent us those. I'll thank you not to get spit on our pure holy silver," the fellow added.

Kat gave him a skeptical look. "I think you're getting ripped off. This is a copper piece with silver over it. You can tell by the rusty taste. Plus it's chipping here." He let the merchant snatch it up and examined it with a scowl.

"Your son is certainly…attentive."

"I'm not his dad, but yeah. He's a clever bugger, ain't he?" Tygra ruffled Kat's hair and produced one gold piece. "Let's talk plainly friend. I'm educated and I don't buy this garbage about demons and your sacred pieces. If other people want to, fine. I just want to know all you can tell me about those cliffs without legends thrown in. Your wares being a little…cost-efficient can stay between us." He flipped the man the coin. The hybrid bit it to ensure its authenticity and tucked it into his wide belt.

"All right, I know a skeptic when I meet one." The smooth tone had fallen to something less oily and Tygra found he liked it. "Truth is there've been a lot of stories about those cliffs and it's hard to figure out which ones are true. We did send a team of miners once to get cheap ore, but they sent us a message saying someone…or something…had been making tunnels. There are some naturally forming caves, but there are the marks of burrows through the stone as well. They went in to investigate and we never heard from them again. Probably got caught in the high tide if something didn't get 'em. Shame too. We paid them in advance." The cat took off his cap to smooth his short, white hair. He couldn't have been much older than Tygra. "It's possible to cross over the top of the cliffs and reach the other side, but you wouldn't want to do that. Pirates lurk on the other side, but they never go in, just around. The beast doesn't come out from what we know."

Tygra scanned the rock face that dipped into the sea, watching the way the waves crashed feebly against it. "The caverns flood a lot?"

"At high tide, yeah. Every night and part of the morning until the moon is gone. One section's known as the Marooning Rock, and it's where pirates dump people if they want to seem particularly vile. They have to go into the cliffs and when night falls…well, you get the picture. It doesn't cover the highest parts of the cliffs though, so chances are whatever's in there climbs to the top of the formation." The cat leaned in conspiratorially. "I have to wonder if it really always stays in those caverns. Maybe it climbs out the top, finds a bite on the coast somewhere, and crawls back in. Of course what do I know? It might be a murderous hermit in there."

Tygra looked from one end of the cliffs to the other. There were all manner of crags and cracks, hidden surfaces and even bits of greenery. "I think someone would have seen it if it came out. Maybe when the tunnels flood fish get washed in and it eats those?"

The cat seemed interested. "Very perceptive. Maybe you're right. But if you're considering going there, I can't recommend it. It's a mysterious, dangerous place, and we're content to leave it be now. In spite of the minerals that no doubt lay within."

Tygra nodded and was about to walk off when the cat said suddenly, "Wait a minute. There's someone who might know more, but she's a bit…well, she lost most of her sense years ago. She rambles about nonsense a lot, but if you'd like to ask her you can. Just take everything with some salt."

Kat's tail flickered with interest as the hybrid turned and hollered, "Nana! Someone wants to know about the tunnels in the cliff!"

It took a second but Tygra finally saw her. She was a white tigress, stripes almost gone in her age, bleached fur wispy. Her hair was long and braided and she hunched over in her plain red gown. Her hands were gnarled and she blinked when she stepped from behind her counter; she was going blind. Tygra had always had a soft spot for girls of any age, so he knelt a bit and graciously kissed her hand. "Charmed, madam. I hope this isn't a bother."

Her tired yellow eyes fixed on him and after a moment she smiled. "My, you're a handsome thing. Reminds me of my boy when he was your age." He smiled at her. "You want to know about the cliffs?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

She turned to them and sighed. "A sorceress lives in there. She was cursed along with her sisters and mother and turned into vile beasts, and she holed up in there to escape from people and light. She's lived there ever since I was a little girl. Children that went to investigate never came back, but sometimes we found bodies or bones washing onto the shores when the flood waters lowered out of the tunnels."

This was so stark and certain that Tygra was unnerved. "A sorceress? Where did you hear that?"

"It was a cult that was said to communicate with demons to drive off enemies. The leader was their mother, I believe. And they conducted many evil rituals in the wilds where no laws prevented them. They wanted to commune with the dead."

Kat's eyes were round. "But you're not supposed to do that!"

"You're right. And there's a reason." The old woman shrugged. "When I was eight, I heard it said that the women had been repaid for their wicked deeds by the very demons they sought to control. They were cursed and scattered across the world. One of them lives there according to the records. Unfortunately, there was only one person who claimed to have seen her enter that would know what she looked like." She shook her head. "That was decades ago. And the man was old. He died before speaking of it. He had a weak heart, and she was apparently hideous. Sometimes when bodies come out of the cliff, the only thing that holds them together is a sticky cocoon. It's woven tightly around them."

Tygra shifted uncomfortably. "So that's the story?"

"Indeed. I've told it to my grandson, but he never listens to a word I say anymore," she said reproachfully. "What his father will say to him when he returns is on him. My son's a good boy; he'll straighten his child out."

The young cat just sighed. Tygra offered the woman a gold piece, keeping tally of his finances in his head. Still pretty good so far. "For the story, and for your time."

She accepted it and gave him a wrinkled, radiant grin. "You're a good boy too. Take care of yourself." Returning to her part of the stall, the old woman sat in a rocking chair and seemed to stare out over the sea.

Tygra looked at the cat. "Thanks. It's a strange story, but anything is a help."

"Yeah. If you say so." The cat cast a weary look at his grandmother. "Like I said, she spouts nonsense a lot of the time."

Tygra didn't believe much in the power of sorceresses but this coldness seemed unfitting. "She seemed pretty sound overall," he objected.

Not bothering to turn his head, the cat replied, "My dad – her son – died ten years ago right in front of her. He had been injured by pirates and bled out. We buried him, and even though we take her to his grave, every time she just stares at it as if it weren't real. We leave and then she forgets it all again. She's got the crazy all right."

Tygra gazed at her with new pity and respect. "I don't know if that's crazy so much as pain. But thanks anyway."

When they left Kat gave the stall owners another look. "That's sad. Do you really think she's crazy?"

"I don't know. Maybe just about that one thing. It'd be really awful to lose a kid, you know? Some people just have to block things out so they can keep moving. She probably knows deep down, but she keeps it locked up tight." Tygra glanced back as well and put a hand on Kat's shoulder. "Given that we've already met a witch in the form of Red-Eye, I guess there may well be a sorceress in that cliff. Or at least someone who fancies herself one."

"You don't believe in powers?" Kat asked solemnly. Tygra tilted his head one way then the other.

"I believe that there is stuff out there we don't understand. But I'm kind of skeptical about magic or spirits or anything like that. Red-Eye might have installed infrared machinery into his eyeballs to make those red hot lights. I can't say. I just like to look at facts and take what they give me."

Kat nodded thoughtfully. "But what about Cheetara's visions? You can't get those from a machine."

Tygra sighed. "That's one of those 'No idea how it works' things bud. C'mon, let's check out the ships and see what we can find."

* * *

Panthro stuck close to Lion-O and Snarf, people giving him a wide berth. He was pleased to see Snarf keeping a careful lookout as well, ears rotating. "This seems to be an area for homes. A very poor one," he murmured.

Snarf was right; the stalls faded behind them and large ships didn't come here. Ramshackle docks and crafts the size of rowboats were tethered here down below, and there seemed to be many apartments in tall, thin buildings on the opposite side. Probably the homes of poorer fishermen. Lion-O looked at them and said, "It's not very nice, but it's still better than Rana Village."

"Yeah. They can at least feed themselves proper on the coast." Panthro sensed discontent here though, and he added, "This is good material building these houses and roads. It's just not been maintained."

Lion-O walked on Panthro's left, away from the water. "Maybe we should ask around?"

One old man was sitting by a coil of rope, cleaning fish and cutting its scales away. Lion-O had his hood up, but he also took his goggles and put them on. He didn't want to attract attention to the fact that he was a lion. "Excuse me," he said. The man didn't look up, still cleaning his fish. A dingy bucket of them sat on one side and raw, clean fish sat in the bucket on his other. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you know the history of this area. Or if you'd mind telling us about it."

The cutting stopped and the cat looked up. His whiskers were gray and his face set into a permanent sullen slouch. An ugly yellow, he was wearing dirty clothes that were ragged on the hems. "You've got some nerve coming her, westerner. Imperial City dwellers are scum here."

Lion-O blinked and took a step back. "I'm sorry?"

"You should be, talking with your accent. Tales of the beauty of the Imperial City come here and we shake our fists. Look at this area." He waved a hand – claws crusted with fish guts – and Panthro took in the dingy area again, wondering if he was going to have to knock the man in the head. "It was a pretty place when the king first won the battle of the Fel Sea fifteen years ago and settled this coast for Thundera. But we knew enemies would be back. More pirates, more villains. 'Oh, we'll send forces to help you, don't you worry,' he said. 'I won't abandon my people.'"

He spat. "Nothing came for ten years. Amazing how a place will run down when it's left in the corner and forgotten!"

Snarf looked at Panthro with a bewildered look. Panthro scowled. "The king was dealing with an Alliance strike at that time. He was trying to keep the borders of Thundera from being needled. Forces were stretched thin and he sent what he could."

"Oh yes, all while letting thieves and brigands destroy the feline settlers that came here! A few weak squads did so much against ships upon ships of pirates!" The cat's lip curled. "You're a good military dog though. This king says jump it's your pleasure. I know a soldier when I see one. You don't forget useless people very easily."

Panthro snorted. "You think that's the worst slander I've ever heard? You've got no imagination. C'mon kid, let's get out of here and find someone with sense."

Lion-O didn't move. Panthro knew his eyes were no doubt wide behind the goggles, and the lion reached for the cat's shoulder. "I'm sorry for what's happened here. I know the king wouldn't want his people to suffer. You should try sending a letter, explaining what's happened. I'm sure he'll-"

The cat spat again, right into Lion-O's face. He jumped back, stunned, and Snarf hissed. This man was just spiteful. "Letters! No amount of letters is going to bring back what we've lost! If we'd had any real protection when the pirates first came, our families wouldn't have been slaughtered! How many fathers and fishermen and wives and sons have died because, 'We had to keep the borders!'"

Panthro moved between Lion-O and the cat. "So instead of trying to get up and take justice by handling the pirates on your own, you just gripe to everyone that comes by, even if they have no idea about this area and never could have known. I don't know whether you or these pirates are worse."

The cat's face went scarlet. "You tail-sucking scum," he said softly.

"Panthro, that's enough!" Lion-O whispered.

Snarf drew himself up on Lion-O's shoulder. "Sir, I understand what it is to lose many beloved people. And perhaps you are right to be angry at the king for not sending the aid he promised soon enough or in enough force. But is this really going to help anyone? Being bitter and hateful to every Imperial City citizen that comes by? It seems that the rest of the coast is surviving at least fairly well. How have they defended themselves? What is it you want? For the pirates to be routed or for your homes to be rebuilt as best they can?"

Panthro had always had a hard edge, but to hear the sense from this little creature soothed him. The cat bared his teeth. "They were already there, used to rubbing shoulders with the scum that lived here, dogs! We gave everything to come here at the king's call and start anew. It was a great mistake. I want the king to feel the blood he's caused. I want every single Imperial to know that while they slept and ate in comfort, innocent people were massacred because their king is a liar."

Lion-O stiffened. "He isn't. He did everything he could. I'm sure of that."

But Snarf just gazed at the man. "So you just want to pass the poison of your hatred to others. You really don't want to repair things. If you wanted justice or recovery there might have been future happiness for you. I suppose I must say I hope that, someday, this part of the Fel Sea feels safety again. For the others here, at least."

The man snarled curses and Panthro saw that Lion-O's face was blank but sensed the guilt there. "There's nothing we can do here, kid. Not now." He began to steer the younger cat away. There would always be people that hated the state of politics and offered nothing but anger. This was not some simple thing to fix in the matter of hours; it might not be fixable at all. He supposed it was just best to forget about it for now. Lion-O seemed crestfallen, confused, and Panthro realized he'd probably never been introduced to someone like this. It was an eye-opening thing.

"Whore's son!"

Panthro suddenly felt distant and blurry. He stopped. The cat was still talking. "I know what that mark on you means! It means you're the son of some worthless brothel girl from the north. What would you know of hardworking families being abandoned? Your mother just laid on her back and kept you fed!"

Panthro turned around. He walked back up to the cat.

Then he grabbed him around the throat and lifted him three feet into the air. "Panthro, stop! Panthro!" Lion-O pulled at his arm frantically. But Panthro's arms were steel from so many years of military drills, of hard work, of training. Cajoling in the streets, laboring for anyone that could spare a silver for it. He was no soft boy any longer.

Nobody could insult her now. Now he was strong, and her memory would be untarnished. The cat was gasping and sputtered, trying to free himself, clawing at Panthro's bared arms. The scratches were almost laughably tiny. Panthro's lips peeled back as he bared his teeth and gums, jagged as daggers.

"Panthro! Stop! Would she want you to do this?" His hands softened imperceptibly and he looked down, seeing Lion-O. His goggles were gone and those blue eyes seemed to glow under the hood. "She wouldn't want you to stoop to this. He's harmless, can't you see that?"

Her face before him made Panthro loosen his grip a little more. "He insulted the king. He has no right."

"He has every right! Panthro, I don't agree with him. I think he's wrong. But we can't just shut up everyone we don't agree with. He's done nothing illegal. hunderans…well, felines…are promised the right to speak their minds." Lion-O seemed to hold his breath until Panthro dropped the man, who coughed and scrambled away.

"Soldier brutality! The king sends them at last to finish us himself!" He fled and Panthro watched him go, hands balling into fists.

"I'm angry too," Lion-O said. "I…I've never heard anyone talk about him that way. And I know that…he was absolutely wrong about your mother. But we can't force him to change or say something different. You know that." Lion-O turned around and Panthro couldn't see his face under his hood. Snarf put a paw on his head comfortingly.

"I don't think he wanted to be reasoned with. If he has lost his family he's probably swimming in his own sea of grief." Snarf licked Lion-O's forehead. "You can only do what you can."

For the first time Panthro noticed that there were others staring at him fearfully. People from their doorways and windows, people cowering in their boats. Most of them didn't have a glint of hate that man had, but there were a few that had the certain brightness in their eyes. Panthro just touched the old tattoo that marked his arm.

Whore's son.

"Sorry." With this curt word he turned and they left the place in its old, vengeful shambles.

* * *

"And there were jugglers and beautiful dancer ladies and fire eaters and people that walked on stilts! One lady even gave me a wrist bangle. This place is amazing," Kit gushed, showing her brother the silver, slender ring around her wrist. "Maybe Mama and Daddy will set up a shop here, it's lots better than going back to Rana Village!"

Kat pointed back the way he and Tygra had come from. "Cool, but have you ever seen a statue of a naked lady playing a biwa? It was totally weird. There was another one of two people together, but Tygra wouldn't let me look at it. He said they were hugging or something. But the goldsmiths let me see how they pressed insignias onto armor too, it was awesome!"

Lion-O was writing down notes in one of the several books Bill had saved from the lake base and graciously given them. Tygra was still explaining his venture and the bits of legend about the cliffs. Cheetara sat between them with a needle in her fingers and a lantern close to her project so she could see.

"Bullie's captain was a lovely man. He said that he'd take us over on his empty ship for five gold total, and he'll even bring the Thundertank so long as we help keep things neat on board. They set sail tomorrow, and we're to meet them on the docks by the ship called 'The Sassy Hound.'" She missed Tygra's wince.

"Let me guess…all dogs."

"Yep. Sweethearts." Her needle and thread had been working for hours, and she was drawing near the hem of the second garment. "I hope nobody minds us sleeping just outside the square."

"Nah, we perturb burglars." They were just outside the meeting place, and interestingly enough a few of the performers continued dancing through the night for late patrons of shops that remained open. Nobody gave them a second glance. Tygra could see the sea rising under the great moon, gauging how high it would go. "Looks like the lower docks flood at night but the ones level with the streets and stores don't. They built it at just the right height. And the ships have retractable ropes so they can be tied off at the higher docks but rise and sink with the water. How funny."

Panthro grunted. He'd been surly all evening and Tygra wasn't sure why. Snarf had said he'd tell them later. Tygra just shrugged and listened to the sounds of the shops closing and people heading home. Aside from the smell of salt and sea brine, it was a lot like Dera's Run. Lion-O hadn't said much either, but he seemed to watch the area with a quiet sort of sadness as he wrote.

"There." Cheetara put the needle back in its place in her pack and tied off the last stitch. "Kat, Kit, come here and see how these fit."

The kittens obeyed, Kit commanding every male to cover his eyes as she changed out of her ragged tunic. Naturally they did as they were bid. Kat stripped down to his underwear without a word and pulled on the new set of clothes and when both kittens were decent everyone admired their new clothes and Cheetara sat back proudly to survey her work.

It was not the finest set of clothes in the world, but the threads bound them well to keep them strong. Kat had a set of brown breeches that reached the middle of his calf and his shirt was orange and brown, as Cheetara had been trying to make sure they matched. The strips of cloth met in a rakish line across his chest and Kat seemed to approve of the daring look.

Kit's outfit was similar, but Cheetara had given her a modest skirt in pinks and purples, and a shirt that matched her brother's. Also, because Cheetara was a little paranoid, she'd stitched together a little pair of shorts for Kit to wear as well that doubled as leggings. If they ended up in battle, Tygra noted amusedly, Cheetara didn't want Kit's underwear flashing. She was a chaste cheetah through and through. Kit twirled and threw herself into Cheetara's arms. "It's beautiful Cheetara! I look almost like one of the dance girls!"

"And I feel adventure-y," Kat agreed, putting his fists on his hips. He too gave her a hug and Cheetara straightened the wrinkles in their clothing.

"They look good on you. Now let's ditch these dirty old things," she said, taking the rags and pitching them a short distance away. "I'll see about sewing another set or two later so you have more changes."

"You did a really good job, Cheetara," Lion-O said. She beamed at him.

"Yeah, you only poked your own finger sixteen times by the end," Tygra added. She stuck her tongue out. Snarf yawned and climbed into Cheetara's lap.

"Very lovely clothes. Though I don't understand why bipeds feel clothing is so necessary."

"Some don't. Ever hear of a nudist?" Tygra leaned back again and stretched his arms and then his legs. "So Lion-O, what have you got?"

"That people believe there's a sorceress turned creature living in the cliff tunnels, that no one who goes is comes out alive, and that bones sometimes float back to the coast and they assume these are the same people that died months ago that have been eaten." Lion-O chewed the tip of his pen absently. "The stories about pirates concern me though. What if we run into some while on board The Sassy Hound?"

"We beat the tar out of them and throw them overboard. Simple." Tygra shrugged.

Panthro stirred. "I say we kill them. If they've been stealing and murdering people all this time, they'll have plenty of blood on their hands. Might make this place safer."

There was a delicate pause and Lion-O shut his eyes, rubbing between them. He'd taken off his goggles for the night. "If it comes to that, all right. But I'd prefer them all to have trials and be executed with some dignity."

Panthro grunted again. "They grant no mercy or dignity from the sound of things. You'll have to kill someone eventually, kid. We won't make it to the King's Door without spilling some villain's blood."

"Panthro," Cheetara scolded. The kittens had round eyes, staring at the panther's back. "I don't want the kittens listening to this."

"They're old enough to know some stuff about the world." Tygra held his breath; if the panther started saying anything about the fact that the kids' parents were probably dead he'd personally punch the guy. But the cat didn't. He just stayed still and Snarf climbed out of Cheetara's lap and gestured for the others to come close so Panthro couldn't hear.

"Wait until he's asleep," he mouthed. It took about fifteen minutes for the snoring to start and Snarf sighed. "All right, Lion-O, what was all that about?"

Lion-O leaned his head against a lamp post and murmured, "It's not my place to say. Panthro's just very sensitive about his past, and people belittling his mother." He explained with Snarf's help about running into the furious cat and Tygra just crossed his arms.

"Sounds like both sides have some blame, but in the end it seems like they gave up. Look at the rest of this place. It's doing well even with pirates roaming around. King Claudus isn't perfect, but I'd say he's done a pretty good job." Lion-O glanced at him and looked back at his hands. "What's wrong?"

"…I've never met anyone that felt that way. Sure there have been people that disagreed with the king, but…they never hated him. Not so openly. I knew there must be some out there that did, I just…"

Lion-O looked at Cheetara. "Do they say anything else bad about him? What do they think of how he's ruled?" He looked at the kittens too, and Tygra, as if hoping to find something.

It was Cheetara who finally spoke. "I personally think he tries to do the right thing, and that he's been a fair king for cats," she said at last. "But…he's been the same as any other for other species."

"Yeah, nonfels aren't big fans of him," Tygra said idly. Cheetara shot him a look.

"Do not use that word around the kittens." Her voice was cold and her hands in tight fists. Kat blinked and Kit looked between the two.

"What's nonf-I mean, that word, mean?" she asked.

Tygra suddenly felt awkward. "Well, it's a term for anything that's not a feline. Like the Luna, dogs, lizards, monkians…"

Kit blinked. "Why doesn't Cheetara like it?"

"It's considered demeaning to other species. Sort of like saying they're just one big group of things that aren't cats, and so they're not important," Cheetara said gently.

The kittens seemed confused. "That's silly. Lisssa wasn't a cat but she was super nice. So were Leofa and Dyre and Timbyr. Does the king not like them?"

Tygra couldn't help but feel a bit sheepish. "Well, some of the laws were made with cats in mind and they haven't quite changed to encompass all creatures. There might be problems if they did." Lion-O was looking at him with one eye.

Neither kittens seemed to understand. "Have you two heard of the law that protects the citizens' right to protest the monarchy's actions peacefully? It permits them to say what they want, providing it doesn't inspire violence," Lion-O said softly.

"Yeah, I've heard of that," Kat said.

"Well, it doesn't apply to lizards or dogs. If they protest with the cats they can be put in jail for a day or two for disturbing the peace." Kat's jaw dropped and Lion-O shut his eye. "…It's been that way for so long that everyone's just gotten used to it, and King Claudus hasn't felt the need to change it." His voice was low and almost hurt.

"But why?" Kit asked. "Sure they're scaly or have different fur and stuff. But…they're the same as we are inside. Isn't that what matters?"

Cheetara tucked the girl close and kissed her head. "The holy writings say that the Creator made all things in accordance to his will, and we're all people. Tygra just uses naughty words sometimes."

Kat, who had been giving Tygra an uncertain, wounded look, seemed set at ease by Cheetara's only partially true words. "Oh. So you don't think lizards and dogs and the others are bad, right?"

"No, not really." He wanted to mention the issues with their ignorance and lack of culture and civility – not to mention how brutish they could be and the countless numbers of infractions between the species and the violent protests that had taken place because of lizards and wolves – but seeing the kittens made so content…well, he supposed he could leave things as they were.

Leave it to Cheetara to soften the bitterest flaws, he thought wryly. Kit was yawning and put her head in Cheetara's lap. "Hey Cheetara? Do you think our parents will be waiting for us in Tropo? Or do you think they've been given Mutation?"

Cheetara stroked the girl's back. "I don't know sweetheart. We'll have to wait and see. Something must have kept them there, but maybe they've gotten away and they're trying to get back to you."

Kit's tail flicked happily. "Maybe we'll run into them on the way," she said sleepily. "Can't wait to see them again. Mama will like my new clothes."

Tygra watched Cheetara's eyes dim and Lion-O closed his book, watching her. As Kat dozed off and Cheetara settled the kittens into their bed rolls – they'd used one thrown together with blankets until today, when Snarf had seen a shop and tugged Lion-O's hair to make him get them one to share – Lion-O took out the Sword of Omens. He put a finger to his lips and Tygra quirked a brow. The lion lifted it to his eyes and whispered, "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight."

He tried this a few times but at last he let the blade drop. "Nothing. I wanted to see their parents, but it just won't show me. I get the feeling it's tired and doesn't understand me." He put it away, looking unhappy.

Tygra checked to make sure the kittens were out before saying, hesitantly, "Would it show you people that are…y'know."

"I think so. It would let me know somehow, and it doesn't. It's fickle like that." Lion-O looked out over the sea, watching the moon rise and dab white streaks across the slowly rising surface in the distance. "I've always known there's no such thing as a perfect king," he said suddenly. "Save the Creator himself, I suppose. But to hear someone so angry and full of hate…it shocked me. I always figured King Claudus was at least fair." He was curled in his cloak and leaning against the wheel of the Thundertank now.

"You can't please everyone," Tygra said wisely. "If you go far to the east you'll really get an earful about how bad Thundera is. Like my mother says, opinions are like anuses. Everyone has one, and some of them stink."

Lion-O blinked at him. "I've never heard it put that way."

"She's classy, but she doesn't mince words." Tygra noticed Lion-O looking at Cheetara and then him for a moment as if debating something. "What's up?"

Lion-O opened his mouth cautiously. "Can I tell you something kind of embarrassing?"

"It's a bald spot, I knew it," Tygra said. Lion-O's mouth twitched and Cheetara rolled her eyes.

"No. That's not it. I…I've never been outside the Imperial City before this." He took a breath as if he'd confessed some dark addiction. "I mean I've studied about other lands and there were always people visiting to speak to nobles and the king, but I've never actually been anywhere else until now."

Cheetara shrugged. "I hadn't gone far from Dera's Run when we first set out. Some people just don't wander much."

Lion-O chewed his lip. "I mean I'd never been outside the nobles' quarters of the Imperial City. I never left the palace courtyards. Ever."

This did make Tygra sit up a little straighter. "Wait a sec. The Imperial City has a big palace and they're big grounds, don't get me wrong. But you're telling us you've spent eighteen years holed up in there working for the king?"

"Yes." Cheetara was looking at Lion-O with something like sorrow and he shook his head. "It's nothing important, I just felt like telling you guys. I don't know, forget it."

"It makes sense that you got so upset. Spending time there and serving the king, hearing someone talk so badly about him must have felt horrible," she said gently. Lion-O didn't quite meet her eye. "Wow. The first time you've ever been outside the city and this is what he expects? Geez, no wonder he sent Panthro with you. And no wonder Panthro was so paranoid when he met us."

The big cat snorted in his sleep. He then scratched his behind and slept on. The three absorbed that sight for a second and burst into silent fits of laughter.

Tygra had to cover his mouth to finally stop himself from laughing too loud. "Guess we've come a long way, huh? Doesn't feel that way."

Lion-O nodded. "I just wanted you guys to know. If I ever do something that's weird or don't understand simple stuff, that's probably why. This is all a whole other world to me. It's one thing to read about a culture in a book and another to actually interact with people." He tightened his cloak around his shoulders. "And even when Panthro complains about bringing you guys along, he doesn't mean it. And I'm glad you guys came."

This last part was said quietly, almost shyly. Tygra realized with a jolt that they had probably been the first people he'd actually formed a connection with outside of the Imperial City, and examined their conversations and the things they'd done together in a new light. Lion-O really had displayed amazing trust when he asked them to come along in spite of Panthro's dislike.

Cheetara crawled into her bedroll. "Don't worry Lion-O. You're doing fine, if that's what you're worried about. And I can't speak for Tygra but I'm glad we came too." She gave him a smile and Tygra noticed with amusement that Lion-O's ears flicked back, slightly pink in the face.

"Yeah, I guess I am too. Breaking up drug trades is pretty interesting. I could do without the Harbinger stuff but hey, every adventure has its low points." Pulling his blanket over himself, Tygra was made aware that Snarf had been sitting on his pillow and had fallen asleep. "Hey, furball." Snarf continued snoring softly and Tygra simply lay down, head resting on Snarf's back. "Ooh, comfy."

Snarf never woke up, dead to the world. The last thing Tygra saw before he went to sleep was Lion-O turning his head to watch the sea again, still oddly forlorn.

* * *

Cheetara was pleased by how fast The Sassy Hound could sail. Several metal masts overhead with pale yellow sails filled with the wind were a help, but even over the slosh of water she could hear engines down below propelling the squat, stout ship forward at a tremendous rate. Across the prow was a stout female dog, carved from wood, teeth bared to the wind as if in a laugh.

"She's a good ship, she is." The captain approached her to look over the side, checking the height of the waves. He was a big dog, the size of Panthro, and had a brown coat and sort of boxy, slightly droopy face. There was only one thing that perturbed her about him; he tended to drip. From the mouth.

He wiped his face. "I apologize. Part of the breed."

"Not at all. Thank you for agreeing to bring us," she said. Glancing at the others, she added, "I'm…not sure what's wrong with Lion-O. He'd usually thank you personally, Captain Masti."

He waved a thick hand. "That boy's got enough to worry about. I know a landlubber when I see one, and he's not built for the sea. Makes him nervous." Lion-O was sweeping the deck with his eyes fixed on the ground, as if he would get sick if he looked up.

Cheetara nodded. "He does seem a little nervous around water. I've noticed it before." Kat and Kit dashed past Lion-O to climb up the rope ladder to the crow's nest, perched at the top of the tallest post. "Kat, Kit, you two be careful!"

"I'm watching them Cheetara. Don't worry." Snarf clambered up after them and Captain Masti laughed.

"You've an odd bunch, lass. A tiger that works to help the engineers down below, a panther that knows how to load cannons, two kittens that climb like squirrels, a strange, talking thing, and a lion that can't look at the waves without turning green. And of course a pretty lady that takes charge as a dam watches her wild pups." He laughed, a deep, barking noise.

Cheetara just shook her head. "That's only the surface, captain. Where would you like me to help your crew?"

He turned around thoughtfully and she noticed that his tail was a stub poking from his dark breeches. Had part of it been cut off? His pressed jacket was clean and he kept tugging at it to make sure it was neat. "We have a communicator installed beside the helm. We get messages every few minutes to help us keep out of the worst patches. And, as I'm sure Bullie mentioned, pirates have become more of an issue. We send messages to the others ships out and about if we see them."

"You want me to keep an eye on the messages for you?" When he nodded she bounded over the ship and up to the help. Its spokes were made of some tough metal but the middle was carved wood. Bullie was steering, arms shifting slightly to keep the ship on course.

It was into the side that there was a metal section and she peered at it to find a messenger screen. It seemed a little worn and had a couple of scratches, but the panel below it worked well. "Wow, six messages already. Bullie, one of them says to avoid the cliffs for a league, the water there is choppy today. Expect a little rain later."

"Aye lass, I'll remember that." Bullie gave her a wink. "What do you think of the sea now that you're on it?"

"It's beautiful. Although Lion-O doesn't seem to agree." She whistled and he looked up at her, as did every dog on board. "Sorry…just trying to get Lion-O," she called. All of them returned peaceably to swabbing and checking the wind and their speed, but Lion-O approached still sweeping. "You okay?"

"Ah, yeah. Well…sort of. It's just kind of wobbly." He paused for second as a wave made the ship bob. "How long is this supposed to take exactly?" he asked more weakly.

"'Til dusk. Just breathe that salty air in boy; it's good for the soul," Bullie advised. Lion-O looked at the choppy, tiny waves and slowly kept sweeping. Cheetara saw sweat on his forehead.

"Lion-O? Is there something you need to tell me? Because I've never been on the sea either and it's not bothering me that badly. You look…scared." She scanned the two new messages and added, "Bullie, the wind's blowing north now. It'll smash us into the cliffs if the sails aren't furled."

"Aye. Boys, you heard her!" With a rather lovely uniformity the dogs pulled the sails tight and closed, letting the engine push them forward instead. Lion-O's hands stopped and held the broom still. His tail was lashing back and forth.

"I should have said it from the start. As stupid as it sounds, I can't-"

The messenger screen beeped and Cheetara looked at it immediately. The screen lit up in a faint red and she read it with a furrowed brow. "HH spotted. Map included with location as of two minutes ago. Shows signs of hostility."

Bullie did not move from the helm but his jaw suddenly hardened. "Cap'n?" The mastiff was already there, leaning over Cheetara's shoulder and examining the message. She tried not to flinch when just a drop of spittle landed on her shirt.

"…Begin moving south immediately. Tell the engineers to increase our speed by twenty knots. Nobody is to make extra noise right now. Boys, you know that dark sail; get the weapons ready but do not attack unless we are given no option. On my order."

Lion-O put the broom aside. "What is it? Hammerhand?"

Captain Masti nodded. "If he's showing signs of hostility it means he's stopping ships and either demanding goods or sinking them. He's taken some of our supplies before but we've never had a full assault. If you've any extra weapons, now might be a good time to get them out."

Lion-O touched the hilt of the Sword of Omens under his cloak and Cheetara patted her side for her staff. "We have a few. Do your men need any?"

"My men will be all right. What about the children?" The captain looked up and Cheetara spotted them peeking out over the edge of the crow's nest. Her chest tightened. "They'll need daggers just in case."

"I'm not sure they know how to use them," Cheetara said, suddenly feeling a little sick.

"Yeah we do! Panthro was teaching us!" If it was possible to yell a whisper, Kat did so. Snarf poked his nose over the edge of the crow's nest in curiosity. "They're in the Thundertank!"

"Go and get them while I watch for more information." The captain took her place and Cheetara helpless darted below deck to find the Thundertank. Lion-O went with her. It was dark as oak on the short stairs to the hold and the tank was the only thing taking up the room save for a few crates of emergency supplies. There were, however, openings in both sides where there were mechanized energy cannons installed. They looked quite new, if not fancy.

Panthro was loading one of these with an energy cell. "Already heard. Get the daggers, and some extra swords. I'd rather have a few spares ready." Cheetara opened the trunk and scoured it for small weapons and found them resting below the twin swords.

"Lion-O, why don't you take these too? Just in case. You can hide them under your cloak," she said. He hesitated only a moment before taking the blades and strapping them on. He shifted his weight differently and gazed at the hilts for a moment. Cheetara didn't comment on this, only packing an extra dagger for herself to keep on her belt and hurrying onto the deck to toss the sheathed knives to the kittens. "You two stay out of the thick of things if it comes to that!" she hissed.

Tygra had come up from the other side, a little grease on his hands. "That engine's a neat little thing. It shifts speeds like nobody's business. Okay, what's going on?"

"Hammerhand. He's been spotted nearby," Lion-O said. Tygra eyed the horizon, scanning for anything odd.

"Interesting."

For nearly half an hour there was silence, both on the ship and in the water. Everyone was shifty and stirring, restlessly waiting. The wind did not change its direction and no more messages came.

Kit suddenly spoke. "Um, what does Hammerhand's ship look like?"

"The Mad Mallet? It's nearly all metal with red paneling on the deck with black sails. It's an advanced ship, I'll give it that." Captain Masti watched their tails squirm.

Kit squinted, sharp eyes narrow. "Is there a shiny, silver hammer on the sail too? Because there's a ship right over there that looks like that."

The silence that fell was thick with nausea. Cheetara took out her staff very slowly.

Coming into view was the described ship slicing through the water as neatly as a knife through cadaver tissue. It made no sound, no unnecessary ripple. It came from the south so the wind aided it toward The Sassy Hound. The sunlight gleamed off its metal form and the dark red wood across the deck reminded Cheetara of an old scab. As it drew up to their ship a metallic plank extended from the side and connected to their ship with a soft click.

And at the other end of this metal plank stood a cat that could only be the infamous Hammerhand.

He seemed to have cyborg limbs, for metal reflected sunlight off his arm, parts of his legs and chest, and even his face. Two curved horns jutted from a helmet that rested on top of long locks of hair falling over his shoulders and back, some braided, and his tail was ragged and thick. A dark hat – one very fitting for a pirate captain – rested on top of the helmet. There were black stripes on his face and non-metal body, and his clothes looked worn and dark. One dark eye fixed on each of their faces and the other was covered by a metal piece that attached to his helmet.

His left arm was his namesake. Instead of flesh a robotic arm reached down to his knee, and instead of a hand a silver hammer hung there. He stood tall and straight, and Cheetara knew he must be a strong cat to carry such weight so well. She imagined what a blow from a large hammer like that would do to a person and rubbed her thumb along her staff. He had a sort of coat draping from his shoulders, scarlet with gold embroidery, and it drifted on the tiny zephyrs of the sea.

The Mad Mallet had shifted course slightly to sail beside The Sassy Hound and Hammerhand stepped neatly across the plank as if he were a man coming to place an order at a bar. When he reached the other side he stood still and withdrew a cigar from his pocket with his right hand. Placing this in his mouth, he took his time in lighting it with a lighter from the same pocket. It was ornately wrought in silver and gold.

"Good afternoon," he said at last. Captain Masti stepped forward with dignity.

"Good afternoon." Hammerhand did not immediately speak again, simply drinking in the silent, bated faces around him. The captain shut his eyes and opened them again. "What brings you to The Sassy Hound, Captain Hammerhand?"

He exhaled a smoke ring, not quite in the mastiff's face. "An interesting job, actually."

"'Job?' I didn't know you were accepting them, captain." The dog did not speak disrespectfully and Cheetara admired his cool nerve. Hammerhand took another long pull.

"It was a little too good to refuse. My men and I stand to make much gold from it. You see, it's a bounty mission of sorts. I'm to kill a few people and send my patron a certain item. No sailors, of course," he added softly.

"I should hope not. Who are you seeking?" The mastiff's mouth did not leak in such intense situations, it would seem.

"Well, let me see. I have the descriptions here." He pulled a neatly folded list from his pocket and opened it leisurely. "Here we are. One tiger, young and snarky. Good-looking and cocky, it would seem." Tygra almost seemed to smile in a droll, cold way. ""A panther, stony as the mountains and stronger than their roots. A certain tattoo on his arm." Panthro did not react at all. "A cheetah, pretty and light. Long blond hair." Cheetara tightened her fingers. "Two kittens, a boy and girl. Clever and devilish, wily as they are charming." Kat and Kit glanced at each other in nervous confusion. "And a lion, also good-looking and young. With blue eyes and fiery red hair."

Hammerhand casually tossed the list into the water and looked at Lion-O. "Know anyone like that, boy?"

Lion-O's hair was stirred by a breeze and his eyes were set. "Captain Hammerhand, if you've been hired to kill us by our enemies, I must assure you that we won't go down without a fight. But leave the crew of The Sassy Hound out of it. This is between the drug traders and us."

"Alas boy, I would. But you see, I'm a messy fighter. And if things do get dirty, well, I doubt that the crew will make it out unscathed. Now, if you wanted to surrender so we could gut you quickly, that would increase their chances of living by, say…ten percent."

Lion-O glowered at him. "I shouldn't be surprised you're working for the Mutation ringleaders. Anything that puts gold in your pocket and corrupts the world sounds like it would be right up the alley of the notorious Captain Hammerhand, scoundrel of the sea. Your name is well known on the coast."

"I be a legend among many," Hammerhand said lazily, blowing a smoke ring right in Lion-O's face. "So what will it be, boy?"

Before Lion-O could reply, Captain Masti put out an arm to separate him from Hammerhand's reach. "They have come onto our ship for safe passage, and I'll see that they get it," he said softly. "Any foe of yours is a friend to the coasts of the Fel Sea, Captain Hammerhand."

The cat captain seemed slightly dismayed, like he'd lost out on a mildly favored dessert. "Suit yourself, Masti. The fathoms below welcome you home."

And then his hammer was flying so hard and fast for the captain's throat that only Cheetara could have stopped it. Fortunately for him, she was on the balls of her feet when Hammerhand swung and she pitched herself into him and rammed his chest, kicking his stomach as he fell back.

Pain. Absolute, stubbing, swollen pain. His abdomen was metal and Cheetara retreated a few limping paces, tears burning the corners of her eyes as her knee screamed in protest. But Captain Masti was alive and unharmed, and he bellowed for the engines to be sped up and the sails to be opened. Tygra ducked forward and merrily detached the plank from their ship, and Hammerhand leaped to his side, watching them slide away with his cigar still in his mouth.

"Be ready to fight. Bullie, watch the children," Captain Masti said. The wind seemed colder now and the sun was concealed by overcast clouds. The water began to look murky and dark blue, and Cheetara watched The Mad Mallet surge toward them again, this time with several strange beings on its deck ready to leap to theirs.

All of them seemed to have some sort of metal limbs or mechanical patches on their bodies. There was one that was even larger than Panthro with a set of metal armor covering his body, and around his bobcat chops hung a fine reddish fringe. Beside him stood a shorter leopard whose legs seemed to be made of metal painted red, and two strange wheels jutted from his ankles instead of feet. He held metal rods in his hands that had scythe-like blades coming from the outside edges. The shortest figure had metallic feet as well – some sort of ugly serval – and his waist of all things seemed to be metal. A kilt kept her from seeing how far down the metal went, but it reached to just below his bare ribcage on his torso. He held a mace in one hand and a shield in the other. He was the only one to have a method of defense.

Each one wore a helmet similar to Hammerhand, and Cheetara picked out more and more little details about them as their ship came closer. Their grizzled hair, the flecks of blood on their weapons, and their dirty, crooked teeth all winked at her and she realized what they were going to do two seconds before it happened.

"They're going to ram-!"

The whole ship shuddered and rocked, and Cheetara was flung into the helm. She recovered from the shock when she heard a scream; Kit had grabbed her brother's arm and was trying to pull him back into the crow's nest, as he'd been slung from the safety of it. With Snarf's help she succeeded and Cheetara glowered at the Berserkers.

"Every time we go anywhere," Tygra said, taking out his whip. Lion-O brought out the Sword of Omens. "I've got the wheel guy."

"Short one to me?" Cheetara asked.

Panthro stretched his arms. "I'm on the big one."

"Which leaves Hammerhand to me," Lion-O said, nodding at Cheetara. "Protect the kittens and the crew."

But for a moment the ship burst forward, fleeing The Mad Mallet. Captain Masti dashed to the help and spun it. "If we can only move around them fast enough we can head back to shore. There will be more ships there, and even Hammerhand's not crazy enough to face that!"

The ship curled like a wave and as it swerved they all had to hold on to something. Panthro leaned into the motion to keep his arms free and his gaze unhindered. The Berserkers' ship was larger and less agile, bit it too began to turn and The Sassy Hound only got a little distance. The engine in the The Mad Mallet was far stronger than theirs, and Cheetara held on to the mast.

This time the ramming splintered something, and everyone pitched backward. Lion-O struggled to his feet first and Captain Masti gritted his teeth as two dogs from below pelted up the stairs. "The engines won't respond! The controls aren't working!"

A rough, sputtering sound churned in the water below as the ship stalled. The wind was still blowing though and it kept them moving north. The pirate crew waited until their ship was parallel to the struggling one and came aboard as easily as walking on a gangplank. Captain Masti swore. "Try to get them working! Check the engines!" The two dogs swept down the stairs just in time.

Pandemonium erupted. The biggest pirate went for Panthro and their hands met and the two began to grapple. Cheetara saw sweat from exertion start on Panthro's brow and realized with a shock that this guy was as strong as he was.

Instead of watching she pelted toward the shortest man, the one with the metal waist. His face seemed a little squashed and his nose was large, but suddenly these features began to blur; she was thrown back and she blinked; his legs were still but his torso was spinning like a top, fast as a whirlwind. "What in the world…!?"

Then he stopped spinning his upper body and hurled himself at her, mace whirling. Cheetara snarled and gave him a kick and tried another strike with her staff. No matter, for he was spinning again and her blows glanced off the strange motion. The mace kept coming and when she used her staff to stave off its bite her hands absorbed the shock most unpleasantly.

Tygra was having his own issue. The cat with wheels on his robotic legs moved fast and gracefully, gliding along the deck and anything else that was relatively smooth and wider than three inches. He was clearly used to skating across anything, and he swiped out to the sides when Tygra caught up. The tiger was no slouch when it came to grace and poise, but it took all he had to dance out of the way of the blades and keep up, snapping his whip to try to grab the slippery figure. The Sassy Hound's crew tried to aid him but the cat just sprang over them and kept skating.

And Lion-O faced Hammerhand, who was still smoking his cigar. "It's nothing personal, boy. Just business. Everyone has their price," the captain said mildly. Lion-O nodded and did not attack. "Something wrong?"

"Where I come from, it's considered polite in a duel to let the challenger make the first move." Lion-O held up the Sword of Omens, preparing for a maneuver. Hammerhand smiled, showing his gold and diamond teeth.

"How civil." He burst forward in a wave of white hair and Cheetara – in the glances and glimmers she caught – saw why he was called the Terror of the Sea. He wielded a cutlass in his good hand and the hammer came crashing down with his other, and Lion-O had to block one then the other or be skewered and his skull crushed. Hammerhand moved with a sort of burly grace, a well-practiced fighter, and the weight of his hammer was no more than his sword to his unbalanced, adjusted body. Lion-O was good with a sword, she realized, but two weapons against one couldn't end well. He had the elegance and strength to take down a fierce opponent, but she saw his face contort when the ship wavered beneath him as it kept pushing north and the rest of the Berserkers' crew kept their ship parallel with The Sassy Hound. The water was killing Lion-O's ability to fight while Hammerhand was well-suited to it. The crew just kept working to keep the Mad Mallet moving.

They were fishermen she noted. Many of them looked filthy and exhausted, and they watched the battle as if terrified. They'd been shanghaied.

All of a sudden she got very angry. Angry enough that the spinning man had to start backing up under the fury of her blows. But that mace kept coming and all it would need would be one blow in the right spot to kill her.

Panthro was the first to make real headway. The pirate facing him was his equal in brute strength but not in intelligence. Panthro let him gain a little leverage in their grappling match, loosening his hold, and when he'd been pushed back against the side of the ship the panther grinned and ducked down, breaking their match and grabbing the cat around the middle. With a colossal heave he lifted the cat and hurled him backwards and over the side of the ship.

It would have been altogether excellent if the other cat hadn't managed to grab his arm and nearly pull him overboard with him. Panthro swore at him and tried to free himself but the cat had a death grip and smirked. "Cruncher is my name, and it's well given." He began to squeeze Panthro's wrist and the cat snarled, unable to use his free hand to claw at his foe for fear of losing his grip on the ship.

A stinging blow loosened Cruncher's hand and Panthro shook him free and the cat fell into the water and the ship passed over him. Panthro looked to Tygra, who was pulling his whip back in, and nodded his thanks. Tygra saluted cockily. "We can't have you losing an arm now can we?"

Cheetara couldn't help but check and see if the pirate had been killed. He popped up to the surface like an irritated cork on the other side of the ship and bellowed after them. They were moving too quickly, so she hoped – in a sort of surly way – that he could float on his back.

The kittens cheered when Cruncher went over, and the spinning cat jerked his head up and his fat lips parted in a smirk. He bashed Cheetara back with his shield and whisked up the ropes to reach them. "No!" Cheetara snarled, grabbing his leg and getting kicked in the cheek for it. She fell back tasting blood.

She needn't have worried. The kittens whisked out their knives and with swift, strong cuts they slit the ropes that the spinner was climbing. He tumbled back to the deck shooting glares at them.

Lion-O was a blur of movement but every blow was cut short by either a cutlass or a hammer. The boat was rocking and his foe's dual weapons were practiced and smooth. At one point the hammer blocked the Sword of Omens and the sound of metal skidding on metal just an inch as the sword caught made her look away from the spinner for a second. Lion-O was holding the sword tight and panted against the weight of keeping it from crashing into his forehead. With only some difficulty Hammerhand stroked the flat of his cutlass against Lion-O's cheek, cutting a lock of red hair from beside his ear. "I rather like this color. I might have it made into an ornament for my helmet after I kill you, boy."

Lion-O leaped back, freeing him from the reach of the cutlass and the hammer. His eyes darted between the two weapons and Hammerhand swung one and then the other in the air almost hypnotically.

The ship groaned under them and Cheetara felt it rock harder than ever before she flew forward, along with everyone else. Hammerhand especially seemed to struggle with his balance due to the heaviness of his arm.

"It's the Marooning Rock! We're being driven into the cliffs!" She saw a barnacle-encrusted rock that had undoubtedly been what they'd hit. Somehow they kept going, scraping around it, and Cheetara saw the great side of the cliffs looming closer and closer. Spray crashed across the dark rock, turning it a wet, rough brown.

Captain Masti called for the sails to be taken in. Even so The Sassy Hound scraped against more rocks, each one chopping away at the hull. The Mad Mallet's crew was flurrying toward the ship, hauling chains and leaping to the other side. Cheetara snarled; so this was how the Berserkers took ships? Chain them up and press the crew into working for them? Even so she dared not break the chains' holds because of two reasons. The first was that it would involve hurting the fishermen who were obviously cowed and petrified of Hammerhand.

The second was the cliff positively exploding in size behind them. The Sassy Hound had proved her toughness through battering, but it would be destroyed in a full collision.

Suddenly the ship jettisoned through the water and she heard a dog call, "The engines are weak but they've come back to us!" Hammerhand scowled at this and Lion-O took the opportunity to try to take out one of the blades under his cloak.

"So much for civility!" Hammerhand said coldly, swiping at him.

Lion-O gripped the hilt of the Sword of Omens, face white as the cliff came closer. "Trying to keep the odds even."

They swung at the same time and Cheetara screamed, "Kids! Down!"

The kittens bailed just in time. The ship had begun to tilt and the cliff was a breath away. The crow's nest smashed into it, halting the ship's northern motion and the engines roared, scraping the post into sparks on the harsh surface. Kit screamed as they escaped, reaching for something. "Snarf!"

Lion-O turned his head in horror to see the little creature clinging desperately to the mast, claws digging in. This proved to be a grievous error, for Hammerhand struck his still blade and his hold on the Sword of Omens was lost. It went clattering over the deck and shrank to its smallest size as it went. "No!" he yelled.

Hammerhand was there instead, blocking his path to the blade, slicing at Lion-O's feet, forcing him to back up. Lion-O bared his teeth to the roots before turning around sprinting up the mast to grab Snarf, tossing him to Panthro, who had been trying to stop the man on wheels. He balanced precariously on the end and started back down.

He stopped. Hammerhand gave him a snarling grin and, with all his strength, struck the mast where it joined to the deck.

Even over the roar of the foam against the rocks, everyone heard the terrible crack as the wood snapped in two and Lion-O descended toward the sea. His face was awful then; Cheetara had never seen such a desperate terror on anyone's face, never seen such big blue eyes.

He turned a little and saw his hope. A faint outcropping of rock and a caveat in the surface of the sheer side of the cliff. Lion-O jumped for it, claws scraping against it, and the mast plunged into the water with a heavy sound.

Lion-O's grip was too weak and with a strange, terrified cry he fell into the depths.

Hammerhand leisurely picked up the Sword of Omens. "I think this was necessary for our payment."

Panthro barreled at him, roaring, and Hammerhand met his nunchuks with spry, quick motions but spitting out his cigar – he'd been puffing on it all this time – and tossing the shortened Sword of Omens up to between his teeth. Tygra finally landed a blow on the skating man as the ship jolted off the cliff, engines propelling them away. Using this gap in the battle, he called to Lion-O who was rapidly shrinking away. "Lion-O! Lion-O!"

Lion-O stared at them from the dark water for a second before he disappeared. The whites of his eyes seemed huge and his pupils were pinpricks. The waves brushed over him as if he'd never been.

Cheetara knew the spinning man was coming at her but Captain Masti appeared and kicked him in the face, forcing him away. "Lion-O!" She whirled and bellowed toward the control room, "Turn us around! Lion-O went overboard!" Why wasn't he coming back up? Why?

"We can't! We'd ram right into The Mad Mallet!" Cheetara ran back to the other side of the ship.

The current wasn't that strong, he should be able to get back to the surface. Even a weak swimmer should be able to-

Panthro's roar broke her train of thought. He socked Hammerhand in the stomach and Cheetara spared a glance back.

"Kat, Kit, get below deck! Barricade the door and don't let the pirates in! Panthro and Tygra will handle them!" she called. And then she did something incredibly reckless that she probably ought not to have done, but was the only thing that occurred to her.

She latched her staff to her belt and dove into the sea, swimming for the place Lion-O had gone under, her brown eyes aflame with anger and salt.

* * *

 **End of Episode 8**


	9. Chapter 9

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 9**

 **Beasts and Keeps**

* * *

Lion-O still had the gauntlet that was supposed to hold the Sword of Omens, but his mind was so overcome with numb terror – drowning, drowning, he was going under – that it probably wouldn't have done any good even if he'd tried to use it. There was only enough time to grab a breath and then he was swallowed by the water.

He kicked. He moved his arms. He stayed maddeningly in place, unable to surface. Drowning, why did he have to die by drowning? Of all the painful, crushing, horrifying deaths in the world-

The Sword of Omens was in the clutches of Hammerhand. Lion-O kicked again, the mechanics of swimming dissipating. His chest felt so tight and painful that he had to exhale and when he tried inhaling the salt water burned his lungs and he knew he was going to die.

It was an eternity later – or perhaps it was three seconds really – that something grabbed his stunned body and lurched in a direction that might have been up. The world suddenly felt heavier and it was easier to move; the surface. Air. Lion-O dully vomited water and it streamed from his mouth and nose. He was being pulled along by someone who obviously knew how to swim, and now the waves seemed to be gently pushing them, as if apologizing for trying to kill him ten seconds ago.

Fickle waves. Make up your mind, he thought stupidly. Something golden and wet streamed before him, trailing from the head of the person pulling him, and he privately thought it prettier than sunlight on the water. It seemed greenish gold through the water, mysterious and smooth.

And then he was lying sprawled out on a low, craggy space in the shade of the cliff, the surface hard and stubbly like coral. Cheetara had her ear to his chest and he blinked.

"Ch'tara?" he croaked. She sat up immediately, expression thunderous.

"Don't you dare die on me or I'm going to kill you." Lion-O coughed and she sat him against the cliff. "Are your lungs clear?"

"I think so." He touched his mouth and wondered at how it felt a little sore. "Did you give me mouth to mouth?"

"You weren't breathing, of course I did." Cheetara was checking his eyes and the strength of his breath by putting her hand in front of his mouth. He absorbed this statement with a mild, absurd pleasure. He wondered if he were about to drift off again. "Lion-O, what happened? You fell in and sank like a stone."

He sensed something like anger in her tone and Lion-O struggled to stand up, wavering. This could only be the Marooner's Rock, for it was the only chunk that stuck out at this level as far as he could see. "I…"

Lion-O shook his head and turned around. "It doesn't matter. We need to get off this rock."

"Are you kidding me? It so matters! You almost drowned!" Cheetara was soaked, water running off her hair and body and she shut her eyes against the salt. Her eyes were already pink from the burn and Lion-O tasted salt when he bit his lip. When he turned away, abashed, she said wearily, "How is it you're a strategist and swordsman, trusted by the king enough to send on a mission, and yet you don't know how to swim?"

Staring at her, Lion-O felt his humiliation intensify. So she'd figured him out. It was almost enough to distract him from the crash of the sea. "Never learned. Water always frightened me. "

Cheetara was busy wringing out her hair and the hem of her shirt, and when she finished she turn quickly to watch the ships. Her wet braid smacked him in the arm. "Lion-O, why didn't you say something earlier?"

He waited until her face didn't look like she was ready to erupt and then said, at last, "It wouldn't have changed anything. We had to take a ship. I thought I could deal with it. And it's…embarrassing."

Oh the water churned around them, hard as stomach acid. He forced himself to look away. Breathe normally, don't hyperventilate.

She pulled at her bangs in frustration. "Lion-O, when we're going out on the sea, it is vital to know you can't swim! Heaven help me!" She turned around on the alcove and sat down. "Oh, the kittens…Creator protect them-!"

"Panthro and Tygra and the crew won't let anything happen to them," he said quietly. She looked ready to cry and was picking up bits of driftwood debris that had been lodged there by the crow's nest shattering on the cliff and hurled it in the direction of the ships. It fell vastly short. Lion-O looked to the cliff and observed a tunnel or two that seemed to needle through the surface and could not speak for a long minute. "I'm sorry. This is my fault. You should have left me."

She lifted her head, spine stiff and her fur lifting in disbelieving fury. "I'm going to forget something that stupid came out of your mouth."

Lion-O felt weakly ashamed at her golden wrath. "…Maybe they'll be able to turn around to get us."

The ships were very nearly out of sight. "Not with the engines dying they won't," she said, depressed. "I don't want to be here when he-" she pointed out over the water, "-gets to land."

Cruncher was chugging slowly through the water toward them, but it looked like it would take ten minutes for him to get there. He was a little orange speck in the waves. Lion-O watched him and looked into the tunnel again. "Think he'd follow us in if we enter the passages?"

"He probably wouldn't be stupid enough to. We won't have any light." She stood up. "They'll have too much to worry about for the next few hours to get back here, even if we're lucky. By that time the tide might be coming in. And since you can't swim, that'll be a problem." His face paled and she looked up the side of the cliff. "Can that gauntlet get us up any higher? Maybe we can scale the side."

Lion-O tried but the rope always tumbled back down, unable to grasp the worn surface. "Nothing. We might be able to work our way up through the tunnels." He took a step or two in and peered through the darkness. "There are holes to fall through in the top of the cliff, the signs warned of them. If there's a way to fall through, there might be a way to climb up. It'll be dangerous, but hardly worse than waiting around here."

"Fair enough." Lion-O didn't quite meet her gaze as she gathered some of the longest splinters of wood from around their feet. "We might be able to light these start a fire. We could at least have light for a while in there then." He saw some of the wood had thin tendrils of smoke rising from them and remembered the sound of the wood scraping against the rock.

"Maybe we should signal then," he said suddenly.

"I don't know who would see us, friend or foe. And I'm not willing to sit around here. Cruncher will have the advantage on such little land." She found a long, thick piece and nudged it into a few hot pieces, blowing gently. "Come on, come on…"

When a delicate tongue of flame started she scraped together the bigger pieces and said, "Let's go. While we have some light anyway."

Lion-O obediently started down the tunnel. "This is really dumb. We might get lost in there."

"Yeah. Got a better idea?" He shook his head. "All right then."

With that they were in, and they trailed into the rough, moist darkness.

* * *

"If someone doesn't turn this ship around, so help me, someone's getting their tail torn off and shoved up their bum!" Tygra had no qualms about kicking one of the fishermen in the head and hurling him unconscious onto the deck of The Mad Mallet. "Two of our people are back there!"

"They're trying!" Kat called, nearly a wail behind the door. "But the controls are jammed up! And the other boat's making it worse!"

Panthro was still going toe to toe with Hammerhand, punching him with everything he had. The skating cat was trying to help his captain but Panthro's rage had been ignited by losing sight of his charge. Which, Tygra discovered, meant he was going to kick the crap out anything in front of him.

Note to self, don't stand in front of Panthro when he was kicking the crap out of things.

The spinning cat was coming after him now, and Tygra cracked his whip and it wrapped snugly around him. He vanished and the spinner stopped in his tracks, blinking hard. Dizzy, Tygra realized.

He dashed around the spinning cat's back and unlatched one of the chains digging into the wood of The Sassy Hound. The spinner turned, still blinking in confusion, and saw the chain floating. But Tygra was quick; once, twice around the guy and he was rooted in place. Tygra reappeared, beamed, and kicked the fellow over the side. He skidded along the surface of the water for a minute before unraveling from the chain and sinking out of sight.

Tygra wasn't sure if he was dead or alive. He didn't really care. There were still two Berserkers to deal with. The skater had left Panthro to the captain and looked livid; apparently they weren't used to having so much trouble. Tygra's dander was up, and seeing Lion-O and Cheetara disappear into the water made him vicious. If he could snag the skater, trip him, injure him with the whip in any way, he did it.

Cheetara and Lion-O would be all right. They were still okay. They had to be.

The battles waged. Tygra lost track of time. Occasionally a crew member went down, holding his side. Even so they never stopped trying to help Panthro or Tygra, and he saw them guarding the door to the kittens and the control room with saliva-coated teeth and ferocity. Dogs were mangy, but alas, they were indeed loyal. Tygra knew the value of that.

Hammerhand was tireless but so was Panthro. The two cats moved around the deck, driven by their motions. The nunchuks proved to be excellent for defense and offense, holding off the cutlass and the hammer.

Even so, Panthro would tire first. His wounds had healed but he was still weakened from them, and Tygra knew they only had a matter of time. He had to get rid of the wheel guy.

A shrill, soft whistle got his attention and he spotted Snarf dangling from one of the lesser sail posts ropes, eyes dark. He glanced twice at the skater and Tygra nodded. He shied away from the pirate and swung around so he was below Snarf. The wheel man skidded around and rushed him. Tygra danced back again and without a word Snarf jumped.

The wheel man made his first noise, yelling when his view was obscured by Snarf's belly and paws. Snarf yowled and scratched at his face and Tygra finally cracked the whip and trapped the wheel man in its bonds. "Snarf, move!" The creature obeyed, hopping daintily to the top of a barrel.

Tygra then hurled the wheel man overboard, whip unraveling and sending him spiraling into the water. It was immensely satisfying.

The deck shook and Tygra look around to see Panthro – immovable, powerful Panthro – hitting the ground. The cutlass had struck his side and there was a long, thin slit along his waist. Captain Masti was bent over him, trying to staunch the bleeding with his coat.

But then where was-?

"No! Lemme go!" Kat. Hammerhand had made short work of the door to the control room and the two dogs within, and Kat was under one arm. Kit was screaming and pulling Hammerhand's tail, even biting it, but he just kicked her in the stomach. She flew back and collapsed, back hitting the wall.

Tygra roared.

Hammerhand leaped across to his own ship and gave the cats a cold look. "You're better than I expected. But if you want to see this boy alive, you'll follow my ship to my hold. If you don't, I'll have his pelt as a cozy for my table. Fight me there if you like; as long as you show up this boy lives. My word is my bond." Kat tried biting his arm but Hammerhand merely folded his arm tighter around the boy's middle, making him gasp for air.

"You tail-sucking piece of Ghen's brimstone-leaking sewers!" Tygra had not killed many people before – a few in self-defense, though they hadn't been cats – but he was ready and willing to wrap his whip around Hammerhand's neck and pull for about two minutes.

"You threw my men overboard, and they're likely drowned even now. Show me a bit of politeness here. Even your pitiful engines should be able to limp along." Hammerhand, with his great mallet, broke off all the places where the chains joined the deck and The Mad Mallet slipped free, speeding past them. The Sassy Hound lurched and bobbed like a rowboat, creaking on the waves.

"Kat! No!" Tygra pelted to the side and saw two things that lodged in his mind's eye. The first was Kat being tossed onto the deck like a large fish and him staring back at Tygra with frightened eyes.

The other was Snarf dangling from one of the chains of the fleeing ship. He was climbing paw over paw up the chain toward the ship, eyes fixed on Kat and Hammerhand.

Tygra turned around and surveyed the crew. "Wilykit! Kiddo, wake up!" He shook her shoulders and the girl stirred.

"Kat…Hammerhand grabbed him…"

Panthro sat up, bleeding slowing. Captain Masti called for an update on the ship's condition and Tygra picked up Kit and handed her to one of the remaining crew members. "Take her somewhere you can check her head." He nodded and carried her gently as a pup and the tiger turned to face Panthro. "We have to go, now. Snarf and Kat are on that ship!"

"Are you mad?" One of the dogs was tending a fallen brother, who was groaning in agony. "We survived by the skin of our teeth! We need reinforcements, doctors! Why didn't you tell us Hammerhand was after you!?"

"We had no idea! And we don't have time to go anywhere, Hammerhand might kill Kat!" Tygra knew in his heart that this crew was beaten and stood no chance against another pirate crew. Even so his rage was growing, and he kept imagining killing Hammerhand over and over. The thought boiled and made his teeth ache.

Panthro stood now, looking at the ship. "Not to mention he's got the Sword of Omens. But the crew's injured and the ship's been demolished." He grunted and turned to the door leading down to where the Thundertank was and began muttering about something.

Bullie was favoring his left leg but he snarled. "We can't let Hammerhand get away! He's taken an innocent child, and I'll be damned if that cur takes another life! Send a message to a nearby ship and we'll board it to follow Hammerhand."

"Into his lair!? Into Cliff Keep!?" Tygra looked at the dog who spoke. "It's on the other side of the cliffs. No one dares to go there but the pirates. There's a place where the rock has a gap and ships pass through it to get in and out of the Fel Sea to the north, but it's been the pirates' for year now. They'll burn our ship and fire on it with cannons if we try to pass through!"

"Not if Hammerhand wants us to come. Leaving will be the problem at that point," another muttered darkly.

"So you're just going to keep taking this?" Tygra asked coldly. "And let a kid die? Look, I get it, you don't want to go. Fine. But we're going to get the kid and the Sword of Omens back. At least take us near the pass. With any luck we'll find Lion-O and Cheetara near there."

Captain Masti returned from the engine control room with his face drawn. "Our engines won't get us far. Bullie, send a message to anyone that might be in the area to send us help." He looked to Tygra and Panthro. "Now, what were you saying?"

"Pirate took kid and sword. We need to get them back. And then we need to find Lion-O and Cheetara." He glanced at the crew who were exchanging looks. "I'm not asking you to come with us. Just take us near enough so we can reach it." So much for the loyalty of dogs, he observed in disgust.

Captain Masti gave him a long look. "Do you know how many people he has working for him? He has three dozen loyal crew members and two hundred sailors he's pressed into maintaining his keep. Do you think you can get inside without being killed? It's a trap, pure and simple."

"I know. But he's going to kill the kid." Tygra turned to the door where Panthro had headed down. "Back me up here."

Captain Masti raised his hand. "I'm not saying we're going to do nothing. Hammerhand can't get away with this. But we need a plan."

Tygra ran his fingers through his hair, stopping at his braids and resisting the urge to tear them out. They had to get to the cliffs, they had to get the sword back, Panthro was injured, Kat and Snarf had been taken…Lion-O would have been forming a plan but Tygra's mind was being pulled in several directions; how was he supposed to do this?

He took several deep breaths. Calm down. Cheetara would pray, but he was a little too proud to try that just yet. Lion-O and Cheetara would be all right for now, they would protect each other. He couldn't worry about them just yet. First, check Panthro's wound. Then plot to get the kid and Snarf and the Sword of Omens out. Because pirates and thieves having the sacred, powerful sword of Thundera in their hands was very, very not good.

"…I can turn invisible and sneak in, but I'll need a distraction. Something to keep Hammerhand and his men from noticing me and hurting the kid. We can't do this on our own," he said. Captain Masti appeared surprised.

"You're not going in alone. The cur has destroyed my ship and injured my crew for the last time. You and your friend managed to hold off his men; this will be our best chance to destroy him when he is divided from his best. I will accompany you." Several members of the crew protested but he just ducked below deck after Panthro. "What do you think, panther? How will we distract these beasts? We must show up to keep him from harming the young cat."

"With the best I've got." Panthro came above deck and Tygra checked his side. The captain's jacket was holding well. It would have to do for now. "We'll show up in style." Panthro jerked a thumb toward the cargo hold. "The only thing is we have to get the tank on land. If we can do that, Hammerhand will be up against something you can't prepare for."

Captain Masti checked the sea, scanning for boats. "One of them will be willing to tow us to shore. Then it can remove itself and the crew from the area until we're ready to make our escape. Can your tank hold off cannon fire and weaponry?"

"She's been itching to see some action this whole trek. Captain, will you do me the honor of riding shotgun? I'll show you what buttons to hit; she's got more guns and weapons than one person can use," Panthro said. The captain gave the vehicle a thoughtful, intrigued look. "And Tygra, here's what you need to do when we get in," he continued.

Tygra listened and watched one then two ships appear on the waves. But he couldn't help but glance at the cliffs as they slipped further from the Marooning Rock.

* * *

Cheetara had never seen anything quite like the tunnel. Sure she'd seen holes, and there had been mines near Dera's Run, but as it was a cave that had been formed by storms and water, erosion and time, it had little rhyme or reason. It rolled and dipped and narrowed and widened at various points, and it was good they were both thin and agile. It was hard to tell if it went up or down because it edged either way by inches at various points.

Lion-O walked in front of her and he was silent. Cheetara thought about her reaction to his confession and, after several minutes of crawling and climbing, found that her anger had ebbed. "Hey. Sorry I screamed at you," she said finally.

Lion-O looked at her with bewildered eyes. "I don't blame you at all. I should have said something earlier. This is completely my fault, and I accept that. You've every right to be angry."

"Maybe, but you were obviously freaking out. I didn't need to add to it." He didn't reply to that, looking back toward the tunnel and testing the ground as the light fell over it. Cheetara weighed her next words carefully. "Is there a particular reason you never learned to swim?"

"A stupid one. I fell into a well in a courtyard when I was little…three, I think. Something had fallen in and I wanted to get it back. I don't remember much except for the feeling of water in my lungs, and the sound of it all around me." Lion-O exhaled and it echoed over the uneven stone. "I went under and blacked out. I couldn't climb and there was nothing to grab. I should have died."

She found that she walked a little closer to him. He sounded younger as he spoke, and Cheetara found herself remembering a time when her parents had taken her to a swimming pool in Dera's Run on a hot day. There had been one second where she slipped away and waded into water too deep. A little water had gotten into her mouth, but almost before she could get scared – almost – her father had whisked her out and scolded her firmly. Then she'd gotten a big hug and kiss. She hadn't quite understood it then.

If her father hadn't been there, and it had been a deep lone well…no, Cheetara tried not to think of it. Lion-O sighed. "I didn't, somehow. I've had a fear of deep water ever since. When I was six I was supposed to learn how, but I just couldn't get near it. I started freaking out every time." He laughed bitterly. "They've had a psychiatrist look at me and said it's a phobia rooted in my trauma. I'm old enough now to get over it but I guess some things just don't want to change."

"I can understand that. Everyone has a fear that's kind of strange. Yours makes sense anyway."

Lion-O slowed a little. "I tried to learn again before the king sent me on this mission. I sank and nothing anybody told me registered. I just kept sinking. Just like-"

"I get it." That he'd gone out on the frozen lake to get Tygra had taken gallons of courage, Cheetara realized. She considered this and tapped his shoulder. "Tell you what, I'll teach you to swim. We'll find some shallows and I'll figure something out." He gave her a skeptical look, but at least he looked at her. She winked at him. "C'mon, let me try. Maybe you just need a woman's touch to get you in the water."

He sighed. "It doesn't change what a mess I've made."

"Well, when we get out I'm sure I'll end up making some kind of mess eventually. If you won't hold that against me I won't hold this against you. Deal?" Before he could reply the feeling of the rock beneath them changed. "Whoa, what happened?"

She lifted the stick, aware it was burning a little quicker than she'd like. Lion-O frowned and rubbed one hand against the ceiling, suddenly two feet above their heads and relatively smooth. "It's a tunnel. One that's been dug," he said, sliding his palms down the walls and even onto the floor. "Someone burrowed this out."

"Or something," she couldn't help but mutter. Lion-O felt for his back and Cheetara saw him take out one of the swords. "I forgot those."

"If we meet something hostile at least we're armed. Which way?" The tunnel went left and right and Cheetara shrugged and pointed right. They stepped carefully and kept going, listening for anything strange.

The silence was oppressive and Cheetara said conversationally, "You want to know what Tygra's scared of?"

Lion-O glanced at her. "I'll bet it's not as silly as drowning."

"Spiders." He nearly stopped but stumbled on in surprise.

"Really!?"

"Yep. Terrified of them. Just four months ago he came to my house at six in the morning freaking out because there was this huge spider on the floor of his kitchen and his father wasn't around to deal with it. He couldn't get to his tea, so this was a big emergency." She couldn't help but snort with laughter. "The poor guy! I went over there and picked it up and took it outside. It was a good breed you know, killed pests and stuff. He just about died."

Lion-O wasn't quite laughing but his face had warmed and he was smiling. "Poor Tygra." They continued walking for a while before he added, "Panthro is a control freak. He can't handle losing control of a situation, he gets really mad."

"No wonder he always has to drive. It's not good for his blood pressure." Even if talking like this was silly it made her feel better, and judging from Lion-O's face it helped him too. It distracted them from the fact that these tunnels were supposed to be a death sentence, and to be inside this cliff was considered the worst possible thing to the locals. And there was supposed to be something evil in here, something ancient.

She coughed, trying to shake herself out of the thought. Noticing, Lion-O asked, "Do you have some kind of fear? If you don't mind talking about it."

Cheetara considered all her little ticks and phobias and said carefully, "This might sound weird, but…my visions kind of scare me. Well, not the visions so much but…where they come from. I'm pretty sure the Creator sends them, but I guess there's always a little doubt that maybe they're something bad. And I feel bad for not being sure. Nothing would be worse than something you thought was good ending up bad, you know?"

Lion-O nodded. "I don't think they're bad. I think the Creator is the one sending them. The Sword of Omens has given me similar visions to yours and it's always supposed to do good."

She hadn't considered this. "You're right." She patted his shoulder. "See, you're helping. Everyone's got their issue. So don't feel bad about…this. Okay? Tygra and Panthro have probably already beat the pirates and they're trying to get repairs for the engine or heading to the top of the cliffs or something. I'd rather be stuck with you than you be wandering down here alone. I'd worry about you."

Cheetara squinted ahead, so she missed the way his cheeks reddened and his mouth smiled. "Did you hear that?"

"What?" Lion-O stopped moving and she heard it again. A faint ticking noise, like tiny rocks being stirred. The sound stopped and he held the blade carefully before him.

Another ten minutes passed – and countless feet of tunnel – before the sound came again, this time closer. Cheetara's heart jumped in her chest, and she had to light another piece of wood to prevent her hand from burning. Lion-O nudged something on the floor and whispered, "Lower the light please."

She obeyed and saw white stones littering the ground. Frowning, Cheetara nudged them with her toes. Her mouth went dry and her tail lowered six inches; bones. Some of them still damp from previous tides.

"Maybe we should backtrack," she said softly, listening more intently. Lion-O stooped to examine the bones and turned several over in his hands.

"…These are from fish. Plain fish." He sniffed them and Cheetara's heart felt a little less tight. "Look, see how small they are? Ugh, look, scales too. They're everywhere." He lifted one and let her take it. It was a fish's skull, tough and big as her fist. Scales littered the ground like glitter and silver flecks. But Cheetara spotted something else in the tunnel and knelt to touch it. Gauzy, silky…sticky?

She drew her hand away and a few strands from the white substance clung to her fingers. Both of them gazed at this and Cheetara's heart started feeling funny again. "It rims this section of the tunnel. A ring around it."

Lion-O fingered the stuff and sniffed it. "…It's like webbing. But it's thick as string. Look, there are fish bones in it."

The rattling sounded again, and Cheetara put out her arm immediately with the fire. It echoed in the tunnel and she didn't want to be caught by surprise. Lion-O stripped some of the stuff from the tunnel wall and wrapped it around one end of another longer splinter and let the dying flame heat it. It worked a little better as a torch and he whispered, "Throw that one."

She obeyed, hurling it down the tunnel. It rolled like a dead star, and though it struck nothing she heard a vague chitter and the sound of scuttling.

They looked at each other. Lion-O kept the blade out but in a defensive position. "…What should we do?" he asked.

"…It hasn't attacked us yet." Cheetara felt like one of the stupid people in a scary story that didn't know when to turn around. The clicking noise suddenly came closer and Cheetara's staff was out instantly. "Who are you? What do you want?" she called.

The light flickered but she could see something on the edge of where the tunnels shadows began again. It seemed to be turned away from their light, and brown furred. Could it be a cat or a dog? She took a tense step forward. "We don't want any trouble. If you know the way out we'd appreciate some help."

The mass shifted and Cheetara instantly knew that it wasn't a cat or dog. Because four long, hairy, segmented legs came into view of the flickering light, and the furred thing became horrendously clear as some kind of bug's abdomen.

But the thing was as tall as Cheetara, and half as long again. It hissed and in a blur of motion sped toward them, two frontward legs reared and the head covered to hide from the light.

Neither of them screamed. There wasn't time. Cheetara felt the heat of the torch vanishing as the thing smacked into them – hot and hairy, bristling against her fur – and there was the sound of a blade and exoskeleton being cracked. The thing screamed and Cheetara moved, grabbing Lion-O's arm and all but towing him in the opposite direction. "Go, go! Run!" she yelled. He found his feet and they ran through the darkness without stopping for several minutes, bruising themselves on the walls and tripping over uneven parts of the floor.

When they finally stopped Cheetara simply sat down. "What…what was that?" she panted. Running was not so tiring for her but the shock of the thing had been enough to sap her breath. Lion-O was beside her – she felt the heat from his body and the trembling of his legs from the run – and sat down after a moment as well.

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it. I've read about spiders, and there is no breed that is supposed to get that big, anywhere!" He must have moved his sword because she heard the clink of metal on stone. "I think I cut off one of its legs. Or into one anyway."

"Did it follow us?" They listened over the rush of their lungs and she heard nothing. "I don't…why did it attack? Come to think of it, why did we run? We could take it, right?"

Lion-O didn't reply for a second. "I don't know. I just…it seemed so awful. Why did we run? We've faced mutated people, that wasn't really much worse…"

"Do you think it's what's been killing everyone that comes in here? It looked like a spider, so I bet it made that webbing stuff we saw." Cheetara shook her head fiercely. "Ugh. Okay, so I'll bet it's made the tunnels down here. It had the color of a spider that digs."

Lion-O didn't speak. "Hey, you okay?" she asked.

His eyes seemed to be shut. "I'm trying to get used to the dark. I dropped the torch when it came at us." Cheetara thought this sensible and shut her eyes as well. There was little difference between her eyelids and the air. "You know," he said suddenly, "I think the light hurt it. That's why it attacked. It was covering its front. Maybe it has sensitive eyes like Red Eye."

"I guess. I'm still kind of miffed about it." Now that they were away from the creature Cheetara found her fear melting under her anger and shame. She'd fought Mutants and how many thugs in her life? Why had that thing struck at her heart in such a frightening way? What about it had crawled inside her and stirred her primal fears? "I guess we can go this way. It was a right or left decision; we went right, so now we'll go left. Maybe it'll stay away since you injured it."

Lion-O leaned forward. "I hope so. I still can't see very well."

"Here, let me go first." Cheetara extended her staff and rapped the ground before them, which was about as visible as a rock in a pile of gravel. "At least we won't fall over this way," she muttered. "Think this is what it feels like to be blind?"

"Maybe." She took his hand without thinking about it to lead him and his palm seemed warm. "How long do you think we have before the tide comes in?"

"I don't know. I hope we're out long before we have to worry about it."

Two hours passed. The tunnel went up and down and at one point felt like it looped – or some sort of miserable, vindictive motion twisted it – before they finally rested again. Cheetara forced herself not to think about the fact that she was thirsty, and tried not to lick her lips; the sea's salt rested on them and made it worse. It was pure chance that she absently felt for her belt and remembered her half-filled canteen there. She'd kept it close because she hadn't wanted to keep going below deck to get water. Thanking the Creator, she took a swig and offered it to Lion-O, who also took a careful drink.

They kept moving after that, tongues feeling better after the mouthful of fresh water. It wasn't long after that the clicking noise returned and Cheetara hefted her staff more combatively. She wouldn't run this time. "To the front of us," she noted. Lion-O listened intently as the creature moved and scuttled.

"There must be more tunnels around if it beat us there." The idea that there might be more than one made her dizzy. So she said nothing of it. "Think it's after us for food?"

Cheetara shrugged. Through the blind, fumbling dark they continued, but Lion-O stopped suddenly. "Feel above your head," he said. Obeying, Cheetara blinked as she felt the curve of another tunnel. "It leads upward. And we might not run into the creature again. Want to try it?"

She climbed up and sniffed. "Seems okay. Come on, up and out right?"

The lack of wind was probably the thing that bothered Cheetara more than anything, except for the oppressive darkness. It seemed like no matter where they climbed and walked the sound of the creature was never far. They changed directions once or twice but it must have known its tunnels like a map. She never got the idea that there was more than one though. The noises weren't right.

About twenty minutes later they encountered the creature again. It had a smell that she caught now and she extended her staff, hitting the ground. The beast hissed softly but it didn't approach. "…It's blocking us," she said.

"Why? It's not attacking." Lion-O took a few steps forward and the sound of clicking intensified. "Cheetara? Is it possible it doesn't want us to go this way?"

She had not thought of this. It seemed rather silly to consider at the moment. "If it wants to communicate with us, why doesn't it just talk?"

"Maybe it can't. I'm just getting this weird feeling about the thing. I did when we first saw it and it's only intensified. It was horrifying but it was…sad. Somehow. Like a piece of music you can't place or something." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I thought that."

Cheetara eyed him in the bleak darkness and would have spoken if she hadn't heard the creature approach again, this time stealthily. "Stay back!" she warned. It chittered angrily and she inclined her front, staff at the ready. "Get away from us!"

It screamed softly, as if attempting to scare them again. Cheetara was not in the most hospitable frame of mind and so refused to be cowed; instead she ran at the creature, nicking herself on rocks and rough walls. The thing fell back, squalling in surprise – she was too blinded by darkness to make much sense of where it went – but she got the feeling it ducked down another hole and dashed away.

Savagely pleased, she grabbed Lion-O's arm and they darted down the tunnel. It was as if her prior cowardice – or desperation – had been wiped away and she felt much better. Perhaps it would go away now, and stop coming after them.

The floor disappeared. Cheetara screamed, voice echoing like a banshee's as her feet fell into nothing. The only thing that saved her from descending into an uncertain drop was the fact that Lion-O was heavier than she and he hadn't moved forward as quickly. He dragged her back into the tunnel and Cheetara lay there, panting. "Are you okay?"

It took her several dozen rapid heartbeats to say, "Yes. There's a…hole."

Lion-O looked down into it but sighed. "I can't see a thing. I wish we had a light."

Cheetara leaned against the side of the tunnel. Lion-O touched her forehead. "Are you going to be okay?"

"It was just a shock. And I feel really awful now. Something…ugh. I don't know. I think something is down there." It took a minute for Lion-O to figure out a way to see what lurked below but when he did Cheetara had to admire it. He took a bit of cloth from the hem of his pants and wrapped it around a pebble, tying a knot. Then he took two stones and struck them until sparks flew, nursing a tiny flame onto the cloth-wrapped pebble. It wasn't until the flame was quite cozy that he reluctantly dropped it into the tunnel's gullet, dipping down. It seemed to be a cavern formed by the flow of water if its curves and caveats meant anything. Hairy-looking mounds were at the bottom, blending together with distance and shadow.

Cheetara realized what was at the bottom before Lion-O did and felt ill again. "What are they? I can't make them out," he whispered.

She glanced down and looked away again. "Lion-O…they're bodies."

He stared at her and then gazed at the bottom of the hole. The piles of hair were bloated corpses, and the strange splotches of color were all that remained of their clothes. "Do you think it's a trap for food?"

"I don't know, okay? I don't know! It doesn't look like it was…burrowed…" Cheetara was having a hard time breathing in the dark and one of those bodies had seemed rather small, as small as one of the twins. She couldn't throw up, there was precious little water to lose-

"Cheetara, calm down." Lion-O gently wrapped his hands around her shoulders. "It's all right." When he could find no evidence for this claim he asked, suddenly, "Tell me about the Creator's sixth hymn Cheetara. I'm forgetting the words. Is it, 'Blessed are thou, peacekeepers,' or is it, 'Blessed are thou, righteous?'"

Cheetara blinked, mind sidetracked. "Neither. It's compassionate. You're thinking of the fifteenth psalm."

"That's right. How do they go?"

Cheetara knew he was trying to talk her down and she delved into the opportunity, trying to erase the image of her falling into the tunnel and snapping her neck on the way down, joining the dead bodies. It didn't quite erase her fear but thinking so hard did soften the bite of terror.

At last she could look into the tunnel again and consider it. "Maybe it's for food storage. She might have been trying to chase us away from her food. She'd have let us walk into it if it were a trap."

Lion-O watched the flame flicker and die, losing sight of the corpses. "They don't stink," he wondered. "How long do you think they've been down there?"

"Judging from the looks of the clothes and how crusty they looked…a few weeks maybe. And they've been in water. The sea probably rises and they soak it up. The salt keeps them from rotting." Cheetara looked away. "Let's…can we do something for them?"

"We don't have enough kindling to cremate them, and we can't climb down." Lion-O sat still, thinking if the silence meant anything. "We could say the funerary prayer if that would make you happy."

Cheetara turned around, facing the hole. "…Yeah. I'd like that. We can't help them; only the Creator can. If that creature really killed them…"

Lion-O shook his head. "Don't think about it right now. We need to get moving."

It was a quick, whispered prayer and then they backtracked and found another tunnel, Cheetara still thinking of the dead. Had that beast killed them and thrown them down there? For some reason she didn't think so. But…why not? Something in her shoulder blades shifted uncomfortably when she thought of the thing.

She hoped they never saw it again.

* * *

Kat learned very quickly that he didn't like pirates, and that they were nothing like the stories. Hammerhand had all but ignored him after dumping him on the deck and was busy examining the Sword of Omens with a frown. The smell of sweat and dirty fur was all around him as the sailors panted and worked to keep The Mad Mallet ploughing ahead. Licking his lips, Kat finally managed, "Um…Captain Hammerhand?"

The pirate didn't reply. "Sir? Where are we going?" Kat had no desire to end up dead, and ticking off this cat seemed unwise, so he deferred to politeness. The cat kept looking at the blade.

"Interesting. It shrank and will not grow again. Is there a switch or a lever? No, I think not."

Kat blinked. "It's only supposed to work for…um…the bearer. Or whoever is supposed to have it. If someone steals it, the sword won't work for them. Or at least that's what the stories say."

At last the captain looked at him, appraising him. Kat wished he hadn't said anything as the weathered face remained perfectly still. "…We are going to Cliff Keep, boy. If your friends show up you will be spared. As long as my patron receives this blade and I kill the adult cats, I don't think she'll care if a kitten head is missing on the tally. And I could use a cabin boy to run errands."

Kat shivered. "But…I'm going to Tropo. I'm looking for my parents."

"That's no concern of mine. Obey my orders and perhaps someday you'll earn your freedom, but for now, you're going to swab the deck." Hammerhand seemed not to care what Kat said, merely tossing him the nearest mop.

"But I-"

The old face turned, hauntingly mild. "Either make yourself useful or I'll kill you right now." He lifted his hammer. "This can crush your skull in a moment. Don't test me. I've lost several good men and I'm very, very cross."

Kat immediately began wiping the mop across the metal and smooth, maintained wood. His ears were buzzing and he wished to say that the others would come and save him and that Hammerhand was a terrible person and a thief. He wanted to pull off a brave and heroic escape, stealing the Sword of Omens and swimming back to the ship.

But he'd seen Hammerhand send Lion-O over the edge and ignore his own men falling into the water without even calling to them. Even now there was Panthro's blood on his cutlass. And Kat believed him when he said he'd kill him.

Tygra and Panthro will find me. But…Lion-O and Cheetara…

His throat nearly swelled shut and he thought of his hurt sister. What if the grown-ups couldn't beat Hammerhand? What if they were killed when they came to get him – and he knew they would come after them, he knew it – and he and Wilykit were trapped with the pirates? No, they couldn't fail! And his sister, trapped with these awful creatures? He'd kill Hammerhand himself before he let that happen!

His claws were digging into the mop. He detached them and tried not to shake. Captain Hammerhand was watching him with a sort of boredom. "Hate me boy?" he asked.

Kat had always been taught not to lie. Honesty weighed more than his sense. "I think so. You seem to be a bad man."

"You're not a liar. Foolish but admirable." Hammerhand traipsed past him. "Why do you think me a bad man? Because I kill for my money, whether hired or simply thieving?"

"That's one reason."

"Aye, but I don't kill out of hatred or vengeance. This job is a one-time thing. That's a little better than being paid to kill all the time, don't you think?" He leaned against the side of the ship. "Boy, take a little advice; as you get older, you'll find out right and wrong are very, very wobbly things. Whether something is right or wrong might change depending on where you're standing at any given moment. Do you think your friend the panther, being a military man, has never killed someone?"

Kat paused. "If he did it was a bad person."

"He may not have known whether it was a bad person or a good one. His king ordered someone killed and he obeyed. Because he's in Thundera's military and it is his job. Do you think he's a bad person?"

The twisted logic took Kat aback. "No! Panthro's good!"

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't just kill people for money! He stopped people that were hurting others, like kids and the Berbils!" Kat glowered at him coldly. "He believes in justice. He only fights to protect people that can't protect themselves. You're just fighting for you."

Hammerhand laughed. "Such conviction! I never did have that idealistic streak, not even as a cadet." He'd taken out another cigar and lit it. Kat wrinkled his nose at the stink.

He let out a plume of smoke and coughed for the first time. "Men can be demons boy; never let them use you. Or you'll end up bait to draw out an Alliance group because your superiors think it's for the greater good to watch you flail on the ground because your arm's been blown off if it draws them out. That's when you drag yourself under a rock to watch them slaughter the whole squad of lizards by cutting out each scale one at a time."

Kat's tail was low, hanging between his legs. "Not everyone is like that," he whispered.

Hammerhand considered this. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Kat had no logical reason save for his own experience. He didn't feel like telling Hammerhand about evenings around a campfire, being told stories and his hair being combed for the first time in a year by someone other than his sister. He didn't think this pirate deserved to know how Tygra took his tea, or how Lion-O shared the best part of dinner with them, or how Panthro would check on them all very quietly when he thought they were asleep, or how Cheetara liked to hum the same songs his mother used to hum.

"Think what you will. I set out to claim what I want, and people oppose me. I act on my own whim. Your friends are behaving on the part of others. I'm a person at least; they're simply tools." Hammerhand grinned and Kat's hands balled into fists.

"Snaaaarf?"

The meow came from up above and Kat jumped. Captain Hammerhand tilted his head back, puffing on his cigar. Kat saw the red flash of Snarf's fur and his yellow and cream face, and bit his lip. Snarf cocked his head and said, "Nar-Narf?"

Shimmying down the mast Snarf looked around as if he'd never been on a ship before and meowed again, ears drooping back. His tail flicked fetchingly and Kat tried to understand; Snarf was always so clever and quipping. Why was he acting so…fuzzy?

Snarf padded up to Hammerhand and did the unthinkable. He purred and rubbed against the bared calves, meowing, "Snarf-nar-snarf?" like some ridiculous, stupid pet. Kat couldn't help but feel a little outraged at first. Why, Snarf was acting like a buddy to a pirate-!

The light came on. Kat watched Hammerhand's face closely. For the first time the pirate seemed surprised. "And what be this wee thing?" he asked.

"A forest creature. He's been tagging along with us. His name is Snarf." Kat spoke no lie and therefore felt no guilt. Snarf sat back on his haunches, lifting his forelegs and tilting his head up at the captain.

Hammerhand snorted and brushed him aside with a foot. Snarf mewled in dismay, eyes growing rounder and sweeter. "Does it think a little begging will get a scrap of food then?"

"Maybe. He might just want you to pet him." This was true as well, for Kat wasn't sure what Snarf wanted. Hammerhand laughed softly.

"I'll pet him with my hammer and see how he likes it." The faintest of tremors made Snarf's tail vibrate but it was gone in a swish. Kat held his breath as Snarf acted out the most devastating move he had in his arsenal and felt positively un-cute in awe of it.

Snarf put one ear up, cocked one ear back, tilted his head to the side, and lay on his belly across Hammerhand's foot adoringly.

Kat blinked and continued mopping, praying hard that Hammerhand wouldn't crush Snarf's head with his hammer. It took a minute but Hammerhand set a hand down, and it wasn't the hammer. He gave the creature a rough rub behind the ears.

Kat realized then that Snarf was in. "You may not believe it, but I do love beasts. And he does have a certain charm, doesn't he?" He sighed a little more smoke out. "I love debate and philosophy boy. You've indulged me, which is more than my crew can do. I'm not entirely sure some of my lads can even speak." He shrugged and let Snarf walk beside him toward his cabin. It had to be his, because there was gold gilded across the doorknobs in the shapes of skulls and hammers, and Kat watched him open the door. "We'll arrive at Cliff Keep in an hour, boy. The deck should be clean by then. Don't try anything funny."

Snarf shot him a look over his shoulder, a deathly clear one. "Don't do anything stupid." Then he meowed and purred, rubbing against Hammerhand again. The old captain gave him another furtive scratch behind the ear as the door closed and Kat just looked around at the debris on the deck and the dirty spots where blood had dripped from weapons and dirty sweat from bodies.

He sighed. Then he started wiping down the surface.

* * *

Cliff Keep looked like a place where pirates would live. It rested like a great wooden nest in the broken crags of the roughest place of the cliff, almost like a massive ship that had been converted to a sort of demented tree house. It stretched about halfway up the cliffs like hard ivy and many flags emblazoned with a hammer dangled from various posts, tattered and weary. Mines floated, silent as death, and everywhere there were barbed pieces of wood and metal. The only way to come ashore was on a dark dock and a short swathe of rock.

Tygra watched this come closer in silence through the crack in the Thundertank's slightly open trunk. He knew how to open it from the inside but he couldn't hope to know when to jump out if he couldn't check his surroundings. Technically he shouldn't have been able to see anything but the interior of The Sassy Hound, but ramming into so many things had chipped away at the hull and left several dangerous holes – or rather, makeshift windows – everywhere. So he could see pretty well as they drifted near the keep.

The odor of the Thundertank was a quiet metal one, waiting easily for the aiding ships to bring it to shore. The ships would hurry away as soon as the tank hit the coast, and Tygra was to be out and searching for Hammerhand while Panthro "talked" to him. They would waffle for a minute and then start firing.

Tygra would not even consider what would happen if he didn't have Kat and the sword quick enough.

After this – assuming none of them were killed – they had to return to the other side of the cliff with another ship to find Lion-O and Cheetara. His stomach churned; if they'd been desperate they might have gone into the tunnels, and there was no way they would be able to find either of them. Cheetara's parents had counted on him to look after her, and seeing them on a messenger screen a week ago had shown him relief in their faces. "Just look after each other. I'll make you tea and those scones you like when you get back, both of you." Sai's worry had been so like his own mother's that he'd felt homesick.

This stinking pirate was at fault and Tygra intended to grab Kat and the Sword of Omens right before he shoved the cyborg into the sea if at all possible. Not to mention Snarf; wherever the little furball had gone on The Mad Mallet, Tygra just hoped he was all right.

Upon docking he heard something coming open, sliding and clanking like a drawbridge. Then the Thundertank purred and revved forward slowly. He liked the sound it made, like a great predator ready to tear apart an uppity little creature. As soon as it stopped he would slide out, and he held his whip tight, waiting. Waiting.

The tires paused and he flicked the whip. It managed to snake around him twice in the cramped place and he felt himself shimmer as he faded from the visible world. Hammerhand's mechanical eye patch worried him, but he slunk out of the trunk and shut it with a soft motion, creeping on all fours across the wooden floor.

It resembled nothing so much as a wooden coliseum in this great, round room, and posts supported balconies that had obviously been crafted from old, broken ships. The floor was a flat, circular layer of planks and he saw a great deck up above it where several vile looking pirates leered down at Panthro, who stood beside his tank.

He found a set of stairs around the rim of the flat wood and raced up them on silent feet, pausing to renew the invisibility twice. There were rooms built into the wood as well – storage, weapon racks, artillery, food, gunpowder-

He paused and backtracked. The smell of gunpowder was a rather unusual one as it wasn't used in weapons as often, but rather more common in fireworks. But he supposed the pirates must use it for their older cannons and sniffed the room. Gunpowder rested in thick, fat sacks in this room and there was no light at all; the only lights he'd seen were torches, and to have a torch near gunpowder would have been stupid in the highest extreme.

That gave him an idea. Tygra grabbed a few of the smaller bags and carried them under his invisible shirt. He passed two more rooms, both with piles of gold, without even glancing at them. He grinned coldly, passing behind sailors and crew members without issue.

Tygra had always liked fireworks.

* * *

Wilykat sat on the floor for two hours once they reached Cliff Keep and he was escorted to the highest spot of the place. Hammerhand had seemed impressed by his job cleaning the deck, and he was almost pleased in a surly way. Praise was rare and not to be ignored, regardless of its source.

These were Hammerhand's own quarters. It was a large room with open sections instead of glass windows, and several soft couches and fine furniture rimmed the room. Hammerhand's desk was gilded with gold and precious stones and it smelled of exotic wood.

He was trying to count all the scarred places in the otherwise spotless floor when Hammerhand entered, placing the Sword of Omens in his desk and locking the drawer with a key he placed in his pocket. Much to the boy's surprise Snarf was sitting on his shoulder like a parrot in a storybook. "This creature is quite the wily beast," Hammerhand informed him. "Watch."

Snarf perked up his ears, meowed cutely, and hopped to the floor. Hammerhand crouched, his hammer brushing the floor. "Count."

Snarf began tapping a paw. "Snarf-Snarf-Snarf," he said aloud. Kat forced himself not to say anything as Hammerhand requested tricks, surprised that the captain would care at all. He was told to fetch, to beg, to roll over, and every time Snarf did this with the charm of a dumb beast. Hammerhand grinned and Kat was struck by how old and odd he was.

"Look at the bonnie thing. Just like my pet when I was a boy." Hammerhand sat down in his chair and watched Snarf prance with some amusement. "Where did you find this thing again?" To Kat's surprise the cat took out a little piece of bread and fed it to Snarf, who nibbled it from his fingers.

"A forest we passed through. He…wanted to come with us, so we let him."

Hammerhand's face seemed much more creasy when that cold, stiff look went out of his eyes. "Isn't that something? My pet was a little rodent creature…some kind of rat species. Mother always wanted me to poison it but it was such a smart little thing. 'It's stealing food,' she said. But he would do tricks and play, and he kept the other rats away. That's not stealing…it's working. He used to sleep at the foot of my bed."

Kat found himself listening, in spite of himself. "What happened to it?"

"What ever happens to a good little beast? Someone living in the hovel we stayed at set a trap and he was killed. He didn't do anything to deserve it; they just didn't like him. Snapped his poor little neck."

Pity tempered his dislike. "How old were you?"

"Eight. I killed the man when I was thirteen. He didn't like having his neck snapped either." This frank admission made Kat's stomach turn. Hammerhand shrugged. "That's what landed me in a juvenile hall and then I was pressed into being a cadet for the military." He let Snarf explore his desk, sniffing at the sides.

Kat peered out the openings, watching the ships edge closer. He'd nearly forgotten this wasn't a nice, slightly off old man. "…Were you out here when the king was supposed to send help to the coast because of pirates?"

"Of course. I was one of the pirates causing trouble. That's been…what, twenty years? Yes, that was when I finally commandeered a fleet of ships."

Kat eyed him. "So technically, if you were doing what you were supposed to do, you would have been protecting those people. And they wouldn't be mad at the king."

"Aye. But there was no reason to. I'd lost my arm and decided to take to piracy. One can only rely on oneself after all. And, perhaps, little beasts. They're not good at deceiving. Are they?" He scratched Snarf's chin and Kat wondered if Snarf felt bad for tricking him. He seemed to be an old man that had gone through bad things, and it was hard for Kat to figure out what he thought of the man now. He was bad, certainly, but…

It hadn't really occurred to him that bad people may have good pieces in them. It seemed sensible; no one could exist being totally evil, could they? Even murdering pirates might care about animals. Or fair play. Or pretty paintings. Miss Hiss had really liked bits of quartz and shiny rocks.

Why they chose to be bad then was a hard thing to figure out. Perhaps they really didn't think they were bad. Kat just tried to shrug it off, for the Thundertank had rolled from an opening in the ship and the door that had opened shut again, and the ship pulled back. A squat boat puffing steam was connected to it and couldn't seem to back away fast enough.

Panthro had gotten out. He stood beside the tank and Kat heard him call, "So, you wanted to see us, Captain Hammerhand?"

"I was expecting you and the tiger. Where is he?" The Thundertank revved furiously and Panthro grinned. "Ah. Inside."

Kat frowned. Panthro had never let Tygra touch the controls before. He couldn't help but wonder if Tygra was there already, invisible, and someone else was in the tank. Maybe his sister. Or Lion-O and Cheetara? He hoped they'd managed to go get them.

Hammerhand leisurely seated himself in the chair by his desk, leaving only his face visible from below. Snarf dutifully leaped into his lap and curled up contentedly. Kat dared to wave down at Panthro, who didn't look at him. "Let the kid go. He shouldn't be involved."

"I'll not harm him. I said that if you came, he'd be spared. And he will be, even if you fire. He swabbed the decks very well; I've been looking for a good candidate for a cabin boy. Captain Hammerhand may be a monster, but he's got standards." Hammerhand waved his hand and a clicking sound made Kat stiffen. Seams were opening in the wooden structures, flat places sliding open to reveal cannons, both traditional and a few energy blasters. They were expensive things, and Kat had seen several rooms of treasure on his way up. Hammerhand could afford the best weaponry, no doubt. Up and down the surfaces were weapons pointed down at the ground where Panthro stood beside his Thundertank.

"You cheater! That's no fair!" Kat yelled. Hammerhand watched idly as Panthro merely climbed back into his seat and shut the door.

"It'll take some repaneling, but I'm quite ready to complete this sorry little job." He pointed down and the sound of two dozen guns going off at once deafened Kat, exploding in his eardrums and making him fall to his knees screaming. Snarf yowled at the noise and Hammerhand alone didn't flinch, and Kat started coughing; he could smell volts from the energy weapons and gunpowder from the old cannons, and it made his lungs feel dark and small. It was impossible to see down to the wooden floor in the gloom, and Kat waved frantically to swipe the smoke aside.

The sight that met his frantic gaze was a very welcome one indeed.

The wood had been burnt away, charred bits of black wood littering a black surface. He could see metal beams where wood had been before and realized that steel had been used to fortify the Keep and wood had been only an extra layer.

The Thundertank had not moved at all. It sat in the middle, unharmed, slightly tarnished from the smoke but otherwise spotless. Hammerhand scowled and Panthro's voice cut through the smoke.

"Last warning. Give us the kid or I'll blow this whole place to bits."

"You're in no position to threaten me," Hammerhand called.

Kat did not agree. And if the way Panthro's machine began to hum dangerously was any indicator, neither did he.

* * *

Tunnels and tunnels. Cheetara was so sick of tunnels she wanted to scream.

The creature blocked them at every turn, forcing them along certain paths. It never came close now, avoiding their weapons, and Cheetara couldn't see well enough to run and attack the beast. It pierced the ground with clawed legs and drove them from its presence each time.

Cheetara faltered when she wanted to attack. Something about the creatures was so strange, so wrong, that she didn't dare to attack it again.

It might have been a few hours later that she and Lion-O finally stopped again, out of water and exhausted. Lion-O rested his head against his knees, swords uselessly on the ground as he held the hilts, and Cheetara tried with a mind swollen with tiredness and salt to remember which directions they'd come from.

Up seemed impossible right now. More climbing and scrabbling at the wall, more broken claws…her fingers were raw as meat and she stuck her fingertips in her mouth. They tasted like salt and iron and Cheetara just barely managed to make out Lion-O's profile next to her. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was asleep.

This illusion was broken when he spoke. "The king was wrong to send me."

Cheetara took her fingers out and blew on them. The cool breeze felt nice for a moment. "Sorry?"

"He was counting on me to make this mission successful. He thought I could do this. He was wrong; I lost the sword, I put you and the others in danger…"

"We came with you because we wanted to. We knew how dangerous it might get." She rested her elbows on her knees. "I get that you're upset, but right now is not the time to get fatalistic."

"Right. Sorry." He sat up. "It's gone."

"What is?"

"The spider creature. I can't hear it at all. Not even the echoes. But there's something else." He pressed his head to the stones, ear cocked slightly. "I hear…a rushing noise."

Cheetara mimicked him and frowned. "It sounds like water in pipes. Kind of like on the…lake base…"

They shared a stark look of horror and were up in an instant. "We need to climb! We need to get out, now," Cheetara said.

For a few minutes there was nothing except running and hunting for tunnels, climbing frantically upward. If it led up they took it. At one point they reached a horizontal stretch and simply ran along it headlong, reaching for the upper part of the tunnel to find another area.

Cheetara noticed when their feet grew wet and whispered, "Creator save us."

Lion-O's face was something awful to see in that blackness. Her eyes were just keen enough to make it out. A sliver of his jaw, the whites of his eyes animal, Cheetara gripped his arm. "We'll get out. We'll get out."

The water was rising and this dulled her senses. The cold rush of salt stung the cuts on her feet from walking on rough stone and Cheetara would have preferred anything to being in there, right then. If the water got too high before they found a tunnel they would be drowned, swimmer or not, and they'd be another set of bodies in this accursed place. They should have stayed on the cliff's outside, at least then they could drown in the light or fall trying to climb an impossible height. Anything quicker than this waiting and running game. The foolishness of entering the cliff made her want to cry.

But what other option had been there? Wait around for Crusher to come and kill them on their tiny perch? Had there been any choice? Would any boats have come and helped them?

It didn't matter. They were here now. And the water was rising to their knees, running in a stream.

Cheetara wasn't sure how it happened. One second they were running and then her feet were slipping and sliding down a horribly jagged incline, water flowing down it like a waterfall. They fell, neither screaming as they held their breath and actually hoped there would be water to break their fall.

There was. Cheetara dragged Lion-O to the surface and spat. "Lion-O, help me look for another path!" His breathing was quick and soft but he obeyed, feeling around and clinging to the rocks. Cheetara's legs swirled as she pushed from one side to the other, trying to see if they could climb up anywhere.

Nothing. Cheetara wondered if they could wait for the water to rise so they could climb up again but her stomach turned inside out as she realized that the tunnel would be full of water by the time it reached that far up. Air was the precious commodity now. "I'm going to dive and see what I can find," she said, voice echoing in the rattling water. Lion-O said nothing and she tried not to think of how "dive" sounded like "die" in the gurgle.

Down she went, and the water was black as oil around her. Her legs pushed her to the bottom and, to her relief – if relief felt like stomach acid settling somewhere in one's esophagus instead of rising past the throat – there was a tunnel.

Lion-O wouldn't be able to get to it. Cheetara swam back to the surface and found him still clinging to the wall. "There's a tunnel down below. We have to take it, maybe we'll find a route up."

Lion-O stirred. "I can't swim."

"I'll tow you along. Just kick your legs and-"

"I'll slow you down." He looked at her and she felt his arms trembling with exertion. "Cheetara, you need to make it out of here. The Sword of Omens has to be returned to the king after the mission is finished. Panthro will take it from here. I…I've failed."

Cheetara wanted to punch him. "Shut up. If you're going to hang on and drown here, I'm not going to make it easy on you." She grabbed his arm and pushed off the wall with her powerful legs, nearly dislodging him.

"Cheetara, I can't! I sink! You have to get out. Maybe you can come back if you find a route quickly, but you'll drown for sure if you're trying to pull me along!" Lion-O sounded angry now and she found she approved.

"I'm not leaving you here! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I abandoned you! There has to be a way!" Cheetara felt the water creeping up inexorably and bared her teeth.

Lion-O looked to the wall. "We're running out of time." He lifted his arm to climb a little higher, unable to tread water, and Cheetara felt something cool against her side. The gauntlet? Maybe they could use the ropes in it to climb up, but then they'd have to backtrack-

Cheetara's jaw dropped and she swallowed some seawater by accident. Ignoring this she grabbed the gauntlet. "Hey," he started, surprised.

"Tie one end around my waist. I'll swim ahead and look for a way up and when I find it-" she would not say "if," "-I'll pull three times. You'll need to pull yourself along the rope, but you won't have to swim."

Lion-O stared at her. "Do you think that'll work?"

"Just hold your breath as best you can. I'll pull from the other side if I find a place with more air or a way out." There was an awkward silence as she thought about what would happen if she didn't tug. "Lion-O, this isn't your fault, okay? I just wanted you to know that if we…yeah, okay, I'm going."

She tied the edge of the rope around her waist and Lion-O unlocked the cord. "Hey Cheetara?" She was ready to dive again but paused. "Thank you. For coming to help me. You're…well, you're a good friend."

She felt him shiver in the water and resolved to save him come hell or high water. The last was present, so she gritted her teeth, inhaled, and plunged down into the tunnel, feeling the rope feed out behind her.

Dark. Her eyes could see nothing as they burned and her strong legs kicked and propelled her blindly through tunnels, dull roar in her ears. Her heart beat hard in her body, reverberating through her fingers and toes as she swam and searched. It felt like forever – it was probably about thirty seconds – before she found a little caveat where she could breach the surface of the water and pant for air. It was desperately hard to hold her breath the second time because she only had a moment to grab it.

The bubbles of air kept her going, but with every kick her spirit fell. Nothing, nothing, there was no way up. She ducked down one tunnel to find a dead end and she had to backtrack to another route, brain fizzing with something that tasted like hysteria and the lack of oxygen.

The further she had to go, the further Lion-O would have to make it.

Cheetara gasped and kicked when she found a respite, the rope still around her waist. What if Lion-O's air was already overcome? What if he was already dead and she'd pull at the rope only to find a dead body attached? She screamed and the sound echoed around the six inches of air she had, and she dove again, swimming as fast as she could. The sound had electrified her, a sound of defiance. She wouldn't die this easily, and she had the strength to yell. It eased the pressure on her lungs and made holding her breath easier.

Another gap, this time two feet. The water just kept rising and she imagined Lion-O, petrified in the freezing water, struggling to get air.

Salt water was in her eyes, and she didn't think it was all from the sea. A cough or a sob, it was hard to tell. She needed to keep it together, don't think about Lion-O being trapped in the dark, terrified, unable to swim, rocks cracking under his hands as he tried to climb-

"Creator please…please, this was my idea, don't let him drown…help us get out of this Ghen-hole."

She smashed one damp fist against the wall and took a huge breath and dove once more, through another tunnel. Her eyes felt like they were dissolving in the salt and she scraped her knees as she kicked, but some part of her knew it was hopeless. They would both die here.

When had she last told Mama and Daddy she loved them? She'd meant to send a message once they reached the coast but she'd not been able to get to a message board to reach them. Panthro and Tygra and the kittens and Snarf would never know what had happened to them, assuming they had survived fighting the pirates. They might all be dead even now. Tygra would feel so horrible, and those poor kittens…even Panthro would be devastated, if merely for the fact that he'd lost his charge.

Her chest felt so tight and she shut her eyes and opened them again, trying to make herself swim fast.

Then she stopped, scraping her toes horribly as she jetted back.

There was a golden cat in the tunnel with her. It shone even though there was no light and it looked…oh, it was four-legged like a Mutant but that fierce grace was so unlike the drugged animals that she couldn't even imagine it knew what Mutation was. Each hair seemed to be a molten gold strip of liquid metal. It had bright eyes, the color of winter ice – the piercing white-gray that chilled – and it did not seem to swim but stand, as if water and land were all the same to it. In the endless dark of water it stood as if on its own land, its own patch of glass.

Then it turned away and vanished. Cheetara blinked and her eyes burned again, but not so badly that she didn't see a tunnel where the cat had been. Heart thick in her throat she swam forward, through the opening, gauging its size. It slanted up and she had to exhale, following the bubble vertically, lungs burning as it took longer and longer-

Air. She took a breath and her eyes ached in the presence of moonlight. High above her was a round opening and there was just enough starlight and moonlight to strike the cliffs and light her way. Cheetara shook her head, not believing it. It was so bright that it felt like daylight. "Thank you, thank you!" she yelled.

No time to lose. One wall had a slump of stone that jutted out a few inches, and she latched onto it with one arm. With the other she yanked as hard as she could on the rope around her waist, three times.

Please yank back, she thought, stomach churning. Two seconds later a reply tug came and she knew he was alive. With her free hand she pulled and when there was too much slack she stuck the rope in her teeth and reached for more. Who cared if she lost a tooth if it meant Lion-O got into this tunnel? But be careful, not too fast, or he'd be hurt on the rocks. But if he couldn't breathe then-

Lion-O came into view after thirty seconds and Cheetara yanked on the rope, pulling him up the last bit of the tunnel and to the stony lump. He was gasping for breath and waterlogged, clutching the rough patch and shuddering. "You…you did it. Thank you," he managed. He stared at her like she was a goddess.

Cheetara was nearly delirious with the success. "We'll make it. We just have to hang on to the wall as the water rises." He nodded, eyes shutting as he leaned his cheek against the rough rock. It was the most rest they could have.

They waited for ten minutes and the water did not seem to rise. Cheetara looked up and banged her fist on the rock. "No! The tide doesn't go all the way to the top of the cliffs!" Lion-O had drawn the cords back into the gauntlet and, with difficulty, raised his arm and tried firing its claws again. It seemed to catch but when he tested it the rocks came raining down on them and they had to hold tight to the wall to avoid them crumbling over their heads. "What now?"

Lion kept scanning the top of the tunnel. "Maybe I can find another spot. Hang on…give me a minute." He started to sidle around the edge, fingers white against the rock. His searching eyes froze and he gripped her forearm. "Cheetara."

She followed his gaze and bared her teeth. The thing – the spider – was on an alcove above them, lurking silently and shifting its front legs nervously. It had likely known the water was coming and clambered up to the higher places.

In the faint light, Cheetara's eyes made out the creature's shape better than before. The swollen abdomen was brown and streaked in the misty light and the injured legs twitched, bristling and far worse than Tug-Mug's. For the first time Cheetara could truly see its head and she nearly stopped treading water and had to spit out about a pint that she swallowed by accident.

There wasn't a spider's head. Instead, attached to the fat back was a cat's torso. A woman's torso.

And the face that looked at them was a grotesque mixture between spider and feline, and Cheetara felt Lion-O's hair bristle. The bulbous forehead had two main black eyes and six others scattered in the cheeks, and on either side of her mouth tore out two mandibles that made the unbearable clicking, ticking noise. Her arms had no hands, ending in sharp spider legs, and her hair was coarse and like a tarantula's, tumbling down her back like the filthiest weeds. She may have once have had breasts but they were little more than sacks of skin now, and hard places of shells lay in strips of exoskeleton over the body.

"Creator have mercy," Cheetara whispered faintly.

At last they saw it face to face. She made the clicking noise and made a strange crying sound, still nursing the legs. Rather than rage there was fear on the face. Cheetara looked at Lion-O. "I…I didn't know she…"

He shook his head. "…I don't know if she was trying to kill us or not. I don't care. Do you think she'd understand if I apologized?"

This rather childish question was not answered because the spider cat being gathered herself and with a rattling jump she scuttled up the side of the tunnel, out into the moonlight, screeching. It hurt her, Cheetara knew it. The fat eyes had to shut against the light. The profile of those eight legs made Cheetara's insides flood with ice. One was a little shorter where Lion-O had cut it.

"Why did she do that?" she whispered. Before Lion-O could speak something thick and heavy fell from above and hit him in the shoulder. He touched it and didn't seem to believe his eyes. Neither did Cheetara. "Web? A web rope?"

He dared to pull on it. It held firm and they exchanged a look. "But…she was going to eat us."

"Was she? I can't remember her actually trying to attack." His tone was terse and pained, but Cheetara wasn't convinced.

"She rushed us and chased us."

"And when we barreled past her we found those pits. You nearly fell in and died. What if she was trying to make us turn back?"

"Everyone says she eats people."

"Everyone says people don't come back from the cliffs. Who says it's her fault?"

Cheetara looked up and gave it a tug. "Well, I guess we don't have any choice," she said at last. "Maybe…maybe there really is more to this." Lion-O made her go first, insisting that he was heavier and would be more likely to break it. When she reached the top Cheetara saw the spider holding the other end as she curled in on herself, spinnerets also clutching the webbing. Warily she started pulling Lion-O's end up to speed his ascent, noticing that the spider pulled as well.

It was helping? Why?

When he reached the opening he shuddered and lay still on the ground, shivering. Cheetara touched his hands and felt the pruny crags in them from the water. "Lion-O, are you okay?"

He pushed himself up and looked at the spider. "I'm sorry for hurting you," he said, so baldly that Cheetara thought it more like an apology for cutting someone off in the road. The creature clicked her mandibles and made a soft chittering noise. "Are you really a sorceress?"

She shifted her front legs and cocked that misshapen head. The noises she made might have meant something, but Cheetara couldn't understand it. Lion-O gave her a helpless look. The spider lowered her head, defeated, and Cheetara felt such a strong, heavy pity in her chest that she dared to extend her fingers and brush them across the coarse hair of the arm.

A jumble of images burst in her eyes and Cheetara jerked her hand back. The creature started and stared at her, chirping in a questioning way. "…I saw something." Cheetara warily watched her, scooting back. "You were a sorceress. But…something happened?"

Lion-O looked between the two. "You can see things? Like what?"

The spider eagerly put out her arm and Cheetara appraised the stump's point. "How are you showing me this? It's not witchcraft, is it?"

She hissed and shook her head. Cheetara reluctantly put out her hand and took the point. Some sense of kinship touched her; she had a sensitivity to the spiritual, said this thing. She could hear what others could not.

We were once not so different, it also said. Faith brushed her side like gossamer and Cheetara let the images leak in.

A group of sisters, ten of them. No father, as he'd left their mother shortly before her second litter had been delivered. She was the youngest of the brown, pretty girls, and they grew up in a messy, cramped home.

They all grew into young women and Cheetara caught snatches of pillow fights and laughing and shrieking. The memory of a hard brush raking through dark brown hair made her eyes water; it was so much like her mother's touch. A quiet village and a caring family.

It all broke. Bandits, running through town and cutting everyone open. Friend and neighbor alike were killed, family heirlooms and maidens carried off. Her sisters…their safety was gone. Mother screamed in rage when the second-youngest by three minutes was found dead under rubble, clothes torn off.

Something had to be done. The old, tribal ways and the calling of spirits lured them and Mother said that they would just stop the bandits from tearing anyone else apart.

So they became witches.

And they killed the bandits. All of them. But there was always more to deal with, always more enemies. The spirits they called gave them strength, and bonded together they worked spells and hexes of horrifying power. They mastered poison and the weaving of spells like webs. They could summon plagues of spiders to destroy whole cities if they wanted. Cheetara shrank away in horror at their acts. The creature agreed, showing the girls in the throes of nightmares and terror, haunted and clawed by demons.

At last their fear outweighed their desires. They struggled to break the contracts with the other side. But the oath was with powerful beings, and it was not so easy to escape. The link could not be broken.

When they panicked and attempted to flee, they lost their powers and-

Cheetara saw the pretty young women swell into beasts, spider legs bursting from them and their delicate hands and waists mutating into those of creatures. And Mother was worst of all, four times as big as any of them and black as coal with red marks. The demons laughed and they were scattered in their horror and with the pointed teeth chafing at their clumsy new legs. "Cursed, cursed, by your own greed," the demons called. "Scuttle into the darkest places, for you will spread our fear wherever you go."

Araknay. That was her name. The name of this creature.

She took shelter in the cliffs because it was forbidding and dark, and she could hide herself. She had tried to communicate but people always fled. The first time she'd seen a cat in the cliffs she tried to speak to him.

He pelted through one of her tunnels and fell down into a deep, dark hole. His neck had broken and her anguish had been terrible. In remorse and grief she painstakingly wove a web around him so his body could reach the shore when it was washed out of the tunnels. It was the same for all the bodies. It took a long time to find them sometimes, but she always wove something to keep them together so they could wash up somewhere and being given burials. Most of them were bloated from the sea, but some of them stayed dry enough to rot to the bones.

Everyone always ran from her. She tried to guide them from the tunnels, chase them to safer areas. But the tides drowned them or they fell and died. They could not listen, and she could not trap them without them howling and screaming themselves into a frenzy. Not a one ever survived the terror of the cliffs. Was she a curse? Their deaths were always inevitable, and she was doomed to watch the wrath of demons.

Except today. That was why she had finally climbed out. There had finally been a reason to.

Everything about her was twisted and dark, and just the sight of her struck fear into every heart. Araknay hid in silence, setting traps to catch fish as the tide washed them in, and she climbed to the upper caverns of the cliff when the tide came. She would return when morning came and eat what she'd caught in her webbing nets. Her mouth was not enough of a spider's to drink her food, so she devoured raw fish meat and left the bones. They littered the caverns until they were washed away. Everything here was always washed away.

Cheetara absorbed all this like a scent. Then she sent a jumbled image of her own – being attacked? Araknay replied with the dark image of Cheetara falling into the tunnel. She also sent a sensation of fear, confusion, and loneliness; how long had been in this dark place? Would these be hunters to slay the beast at last? Or far worse, drag her into the sunlight where it was hot and her bulbous eyes could not bear the agony?

Cheetara removed her hand and sat on the cold, lumpy cliff and kept her gaze even with Araknay. "You poor thing."

She clicked again and lowered her head. Lion-O sat beside Cheetara and whispered, "What did you see?"

Her explanation was terse and when she finished Cheetara looked at him. "We have to help her. She did something bad, true, but she's so sorry. She's been trapped here for so long. Can we…break the curse?"

Lion-O bit his lip. Araknay had perked up, still nursing her injured legs. "The Sword of Omens might help. But the pirates had it last, and even if we get it back…"

Cheetara remembered the Berbils and gripped his shoulder. "Anything would help. She's been in the dark so long."

Araknay's pain had transferred with her memories, and Cheetara felt it all in a few moments. It faded with the images, but the sadness was enough to make her forget the strangeness of receiving the memories. She'd figure it out later. Right now this girl that had been in a demon's thrall for so long needed help. It didn't matter that she'd thought Araknay a threat before.

She was penitent, and the Creator called for believers to show kindness. Cheetara stood up. "We'll need to find the others and get the sword back. Then maybe we can help you, Araknay."

Lion-O walked to the edge and looked out over the sea and the cliff. "…Cheetara?"

She followed him to the edge and stared. Araknay scuttled over, whimpering and covering her eyes against the flashes of light.

They knew it had to be the pirate's keep, for The Mad Mallet was docked against the keep's docks and it was bedecked everywhere with a hammer, on banners and flags and carved into wooden walls. The sound of cannons and flashes of energy and gunpowder were making the noises and lights, and something seemed to roar in reply. Lion-O's ears perked. "Those are the Thundertank's weapons. I know the sound."

Cheetara looked down. "Think we can get down from here and slip into the keep?"

Lion-O didn't have time to take out his gauntlet; Araknay took her web rope and slung it down the side, letting out more of the fibers. Cheetara looked at her in wonder. "Why did you stay at this awful place so long? Couldn't you find anyone who wanted to help you?"

She shook her head. Cheetara touched the distorted face and received a few attempts to leave the cliffs. Light and hunger drove her back, and people always saw. Always screamed. Always tried to kill and looked at her like a demon.

"It's the curse," she said aloud. "It makes you seem even more awful." Her eyes stung with tears and she wrapped the wasted torso in her arms. "It's okay now. It's okay." Araknay slumped in her arms, a whining cry making her eyes water more. Lion-O gazed at the two with a sort of wonder. Cheetara stroked the bristled hair and he watched this as if he'd never seen a motion like it before in his life.

Lion-O scanned the rope and said, "Cheetara, why don't you stay with her for now? If the worst happens we'll need someone fast to run to the coast and get help. And I think she'd like some company."

Cheetara examined him. "Won't you need me?"

"I want you to watch from a distance. If anything happens, get the kids out. We have to be smart, not storm the place." He looked at his swords silently. He didn't want to tell Cheetara how pale and faint she looked after her vision, and after swimming like a thing demented to save him.

"Can you fight without the Sword of Omens?" she asked, feeling a little bad for asking at all, but this was no time for pandering to one's feelings. If he could only fight with the sacred sword, now was the time to find out. Lion-O was not offended, glancing at her and nodding. "I mean, Hammerhand was really strong…"

"He had two weapons. Now I have two as well. And…I was trained with these. They were made for me. The Sword of Omens is meant for the king." He stood and swiped experimentally with the blades, and Cheetara saw a new grace in his movements. He had seemed good with the Sword of Omens but now his limbs seemed to settle into quick, whisking movements, well-practiced and natural. "One sword throws my balance. These help it." His expression seemed dark, familiar, relaxed. "I'll deal with Hammerhand. You and Araknay follow when it's safe. I have to get the sword back. It's my duty."

"Fine. Be careful though. Something must be wrong if Panthro and the others went to Cliff Keep." Cheetara held the rope for him, keeping it steady so he wouldn't crash against the cliff. "I'll give you an hour, then I'm coming in."

He nodded up at her and dipped away down the side of the rocks, the sound of cannons still roaring in the distance.

 **End of Episode 9**


	10. Chapter 10

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 10**

 **Step Past Death**

* * *

Wilykit watched the pass into the keep shrink away a little more and her tail lashed. Her scowl made her head hurt and she touched the bandage around her forehead. "I know they're scared, but Panthro and Tygra might need our help. Can't we get a little closer to the pass?"

"Afraid not. I would be at my captain's side, but he ordered us to keep our distance." Bullie lowered his head and murmured, "Look in the crags, lass. We were lucky to be able to get out of there."

Peering out over the waves in the moonlight, Kit could make out the jagged rocks around the pass. The moon glinted off bits of metal in the face of the cliff and she realized there were pirates resting quietly in the crags. Even a cannon or two poked out into view. "Why didn't they shoot at us?"

"Hammerhand probably didn't want them to. He's more interested in your friends." Noticing that she lowered her head so her chin rested against the side of the ship, he added, "That tank was something else. Don't you fret, Captain Masti and your friends are smart. They'll get your brother and Snarf back."

"I hope so."

Bullie could not help but twitch his tail, and Kit would have been fascinated by the short thing if she wasn't thinking about her brother, stuck with that awful Hammerhand. Pirates were the worst, she decided. "Bullie, Snarf said that the cats that live in the dirty houses hate King Claudus for not sending reinforcements like he said he would. You were alive when that happened; what do the dogs think about it?" Her question was sudden, and it distracted her from the cliffs and the sound of cannon fire.

He glanced at her and made a soft barking noise in his throat like a terse laugh. "He was defending the borders of Thundera elsewhere and the cats that came here weren't ready for a life at sea. That was their fault, not his. But we dogs don't care much either way. We had settled the rest of the coast ourselves, along with several other species, and we'd defended our land for quite a while. We offered to work with them and help them providing we could share the land – it was technically ours before it was claimed by the Alliance and then by Claudus – but they just stuck up their noses. They never asked us for help no matter how bad things got, as if we weren't good enough."

Kit's jaw dropped. "What a bunch of meanies! I don't feel bad for them at all now!"

His eyes seemed wet and soft, lovably canine. "Don't feel that way, lass. They're ignorant, but many people are. Why, when I was young, I hated cats of all kinds."

She blinked somberly, feeling hurt. "All cats?"

"Aye. All cats. Which was silly; I didn't know all cats, just a few bad ones. But I hated them because of the way they treated us. It wasn't until I got a little older, saw more of the world, that I realized that there are kind cats out there. That's a part of growing up, realizing that maybe you were wrong about people." He ruffled her hair. "After all, how could any dog hate a sweet little lass like you?"

She smiled faintly. "You're nice Bullie. I like you too." She hugged his side but was silent and didn't let go. "I just hope they're all okay," she added softly.

"Aye." Bullie fixed his eyes on the rickety, cold keep. "So do I."

* * *

Hammerhand paced silently, watching the Thundertank move. Kat too was entranced; its motions were smooth and powerful, like the back of a predator, and Panthro's driving was superb in combat. He swerved and skidded around cannon fire and energy blasts, running down any pirates fool enough to try getting on the ground to use floor cannons. And all the while whoever was in the passenger seat was targeting cannons, firing on them with some kind of turret that rose from the back of the tank. It was a thing of beauty to watch it wipe out the foe's weaponry, one bit at a time. The ground rattled and vibrated under his toes with each impact.

Kat had the presence of mind to scoot away from Hammerhand, whose face was cold again. "If you want something done right, do it yourself," he said at last.

Snarf had been sitting in his lap but hopped down so the cat could stand, striding to the entryway. "It's going to get messy boy. Don't plan any escapes if you want your hide intact." The captain shut the door and Kat heard him moving something.

Snarf listened and said, "I think he just shifted a crate in front of the door so we can't leave." Kat was relieved to hear the little fellow speak.

"What do we do? Can we break open his desk?" Kat wanted to get the Sword of Omens back very badly, and he stooped beside the hardy drawer and pulled on it. A weapon would put his mind at ease, even if it were the size of a dagger. There was no way he could stay here forever; he would rather die trying to escape.

"I've a better idea." Snarf produced, from the fluffiest part of his fur, the key to the drawer. Kat's jaw dropped. "Why do you think I was schmoozing him? It's amazing what people do when they think a beast is dumb." Snarf inserted the key and turned it in the lock until it clicked. "There, hurry."

Kat drew out the sword and marveled at its lightness. It was shining and clean, and the hilt felt good in his hand. Then he looked into the drawer and frowned. "Hey, look. A messenger board, a portable one! Wow, those are fancy." He couldn't help but take it out and examine it. It was the size of a piece of paper if an inch thick, and the surface was shiny as smooth water.

"It is strange to me how different technology is in different places. In the forest we use so little, and on the docks I only saw a few pieces. But Berbils are masters at it, and then there are things like this?" Snarf shook his head.

"It kind of depends on your culture, and how much money a place has. Like, there are actually flying machines that can carry people to different places, but they're so expensive that I think there's only a couple in the world. Even the Imperial City is still working on making them better. The Thundertank is the fanciest thing I've ever seen." Kat shrugged. "Where do you think Hammerhand got something like this?"

"Heaven only knows how many people he's stolen from," Snarf said. "Can you turn it on?" Kat hesitantly tapped the screen and it lit up. "Ooh."

Kat's brow furrowed as several boxes appeared on the screen. "It logs the last five messages as recordings. Look, there's a Luna woman." Snarf peered at her, whiskers tickling Kat's shoulder. "Do you think she's the lady that sent him after us? Lion-O said Tug-Mug was working for a woman Luna."

Snarf prodded the screen with a finger and the woman's image filled the screen and she began to talk. Every so often Hammerhand replied in the recording, but Kat studied the Luna's face. It was wrinkly as loose cloth and her mouth was wide, eyes narrow and cold. Her hair was surprisingly long and thick, white as foam, and her skin was a lilac color. Her blue and violet robes were of excellent make, and when she used magic Kat jumped.

"She's bad." He knew this so instinctively that he actually looked away. "Snarf, this lady's a witch."

"We knew she had powers from the group in the forest. I think I recognize her voice from the audio files. I wonder how it's possible for Hammerhand to use a messenger to the Lune lands? Tygra told me there's no communicating with them…at least, not if one is in Thundera." Snarf tapped the screen and the message paused. "We need to show this to the others. We might actually find the head of this operation if we do."

Kat chafed at this. "But we'd be stealing it."

"Considering he probably stole it himself and it might help us help a lot of people, I don't really feel bad about that at all." Snarf was probably right, but it still took a sigh before Kat tucked the messenger into his shirt. "Now let's find a way out of this place."

* * *

Lion-O was still recovering from the shock of nearly drowning and the strangeness between Cheetara and Araknay, but he picked his way through the outcrops quickly.

Cheetara's face had been anguished. He couldn't help but wonder at it and her gift for visions. He'd heard of seers but they were generally pagan frauds. Cheetara's ability cut deep and reached places that no emotional frenzy could take a person. The Creator himself had touched her, and Lion-O hoped she realized that. He couldn't believe that someone so faithful and true could have been cursed by demons. Cheetara would never sell out, not even for justice or revenge.

Would the Sword of Omens be able to help? It had only partly cured the Berbils, but their metal protected them. Perhaps this time it would remove the curse entirely. Lion-O was not sure if this would be a good thing for her; the blade did good no matter how frightening or hard "good" was. Good was not always kind or gentle.

Lion-O smelled peppery smoke from the cannons drifting along the water, and he kept moving, the keep growing larger as he approached. He would find Hammerhand and take him down; that was the best plan of action. Anything else put other people at risk, and taking down the captain would stop the fighting…hopefully.

He wondered if he should ever have used the Sword of Omens at all. These were his blades, comfortable and part of his body, so used to their weight was he. In spite of his near-drowning, the feeling of these and running gave him a cold, reassured peace.

Minutes trickled by and he went lower and lower toward the keep, reaching the wooden exterior with a few tired breaths. He heard the supports shudder and the thundering sound of cannon fire; Panthro was certainly out for blood. Lion-O tried to figure out why he felt so tired and realized he hadn't eaten in over fourteen hours, and he shook his head. No time to worry about it. He'd gone longer than that when training.

He scaled the wooden planks, using the swords to pull himself up the side. Heavy footfalls from the pirates within the structure hurrying to weapon stations made him pause several times, and Lion-O reached the top after a few minutes. Breathing hard, he found a roughhewn window, carved into what was probably a cabin for one of the men. It was small and dirty, but it allowed him to slip into the structure without actually clambering over the top of the wall. He checked the door, listening for anyone else, and darted out into the hall.

* * *

Tygra didn't like the feeling of the place shuddering as Panthro tore the main floor up. He had left staying invisible alone, for even if the pirates had seen him he was pretty sure they were too worried about Panthro to pause and fight. Not to mention his whip was wearing out. He took a careful, quick-stepping approach instead, opening each door a crack and moving on when he heard nothing within. The small sack of gunpowder still hung at his waist; all he needed was a good opportunity to use it, and to get the kid and Snarf out.

It wasn't until he reached the highest level and heard pounding from within a gilded golden door that he sighed aloud. A large crate was sitting in front of the entryway and he pounded on the wall. "Kat? Kid, you in there?"

"Tygra! I knew you'd find us! Snarf, it's Tygra!" Kat was excited and Tygra – with some effort – forced the crate aside, scraping across the floor. Kat burst out the door, hugging him around the waist and Tygra returned the motion, relieved. Snarf waddled out after the boy with the Sword in hand. "Snarf stole the key to Hammerhand's desk and we got his messenger and the Sword of Omens!" He gave the weapon to Tygra, who marveled at this cunning and courage.

"You two are something else. Come on, we need to get out of here. We have to be ready to run." Tygra tucked Kat close to his side and Snarf climbed to his shoulder, clinging to his sleeve.

The empty hall turned slightly as it descended, Tygra listening for more explosions and smelling the cannon fire smoke. Kat ran alongside him, holding his arm, and when a brown, red, and blue blur came out of nowhere there was quite a collision, Tygra shoving the boy behind his back protectively as they smacked together. Both parties exclaimed and Snarf yowled. The person blinked and Tygra's jaw dropped as everyone got up. "Lion-O! How'd you get here?"

"It'd take a long while to explain," Lion-O murmured, looking at the three. "Cheetara's a lifesaver, let's leave it at that. What are you all doing here?"

"Getting this back! Oh, and I was kidnapped," Kat added, Tygra handing the Sword of Omens to Lion-O. He looked horrified at this. "You fell in the water, so you wouldn't have known. Where's Cheetara? Is she okay?" Kat looked behind him, as if wondering if she might be hiding. Tygra's chest was tight until Lion-O spoke again.

"She's fine. Waiting with…someone we met. Look, we have to get Kat out of here," Lion-O said, directing this at Tygra. "It's because of us these pirates came after The Sassy Hound, and Hammerhand has caused enough death. They have to be stopped."

"My sentiments exactly." Tygra hefted the bag of gunpowder and quirked an eyebrow. "What's the betting we can blow some of their weapons sky high if we only plant it in the right place?"

Lion-O turned to find another opening in the wall, and looked out of it. Tygra followed and saw the Thundertank wheeling neatly around, running down more pirates. "We need to get rid of Hammerhand. Where is he?"

"He left me and Snarf in the cabin, but I don't know where he went," Kat said, holding Snarf in his arms along with the messenger.

Tygra heard a louder explosion, one that rocked the planks beneath their feet, and he swayed as he leaned out the opening, searching for the cause. "Oh Ghen."

There was one cannon that was still firing strong, sleek and silvery, the highest tech he'd seen on this wooden wreck. Hammerhand stood behind it, aiming impassively with his good hand, and the narrow cannon seemed more like a turret the way it turned and fired quickly. Green blasts of energy exploded from the end and Tygra saw where it had hit the tank by counting the dark marks on the machine. They looked like they'd been eaten away by pure heat. "Crap, we have to stop him before he blows up the tank. Captain Masti and Panthro are in there. Why doesn't Panthro fire on the captain?"

Kat looked at the cannon, set at the highest part of the wall, over where he'd been locked up. "Maybe he's afraid he'll hit us?"

"Or the Thundertank can't aim that high. It's meant for ground assault, not aerial." Lion-O scanned the ground. "Tygra, we're not going to blow the whole place up. But if we can take out that cannon I think the tank can handle any stragglers."

"Hammerhand's up there. I'll need backup to set the powder and light it without it igniting in our faces." Tygra looked at Kat. "I want you and Snarf to sneak down the hall and to the docks that jut out near the pass. Bullie and Kit will be watching the area, and I get the feeling the sentries will be abandoning their posts. Tell the others we're trying to deal with Hammerhand and we'll need them close, and that Panthro has taken down most of the cannons. Give us fifteen minutes to take down the last one or the ships will be obliterated as they come in."

He wasn't sure Kat remembered it all but the boy repeated it and Snarf nodded. "All right. I'll lead the way, I can smell our way down." Kat took off after Snarf, who jumped out of his arms and bounded off, ears flopping.

"I'll engage Hammerhand. You get rid of that cannon. Be careful, he'll try to defend it." Lion-O and Tygra took off up the hall again, Lion-O smelling of the sea and Tygra very aware of the peppery odor of the gunpowder.

* * *

Cheetara waited a while, hoping she'd dry, but the air was cold in the night, drafts rolling from the sea. She wrapped her arms around herself, holding her legs to her stomach. It didn't help much, but the dampness of her clothes warmed a little over time.

Something soft and gauzy fell over her shoulders and she looked to see Araknay putting some kind of hastily woven blanket over her. It wasn't sticky like her trap threads, and from her sight into Araknay's past, Cheetara knew she wouldn't eat a person. No matter how strange the web felt. The spider clicked her mouth pieces and settled in again. "Thank you." Cheetara watched the flash of powder and tried to keep still. "I feel useless but I know they'll be okay. I mean, they're a bunch of crazies, but they're a really great team. We are, I should say."

Araknay chirruped in reply, blinking her many eyes. Cheetara felt exhausted after her trek through the tunnels and the visions, so she huddled under the blanket quietly. "How did I see those visions?" she asked suddenly. "How did you send them to me if it wasn't magic?"

The spider tilted her head and clicked again. Cheetara sighed and took her arm, stump thing and ignored the bristle of the long hairs. Images flooded in again, of tall, white temples and a holy sort of clarity in the air. Images of women garbed in the garments of prophetesses and servants of the Creator occurred as well, along with a questioning sense. "I'm a merchant. My parents run a little tavern and restaurant, and they rent a few rooms. I've lived there for all my life. I try to be faithful, but I've never held a position in the temple."

A wispy question of lineage seemed to crawl in next and it took Cheetara a minute to understand it. Any ancestors that might have been prophetesses? "Well…I don't really know. I was adopted as an infant. Maybe my biological parents were like this." She shrugged. "I just want to be sure it's not bad."

Reassurance. Brightness and light washed through her and she smiled. "Thank you Araknay. I really hope the Sword of Omens can fix this."

The spider sighed and settled in next to her, folding her legs and gazing out over the sea. Cheetara leaned on her and let her lean back, wondering at this creature and how she'd survived alone so long.

* * *

Hammerhand became aware of Lion-O when a stray breeze carried his scent – something youthful and salty, lion fur coated in the sea. He paused in his constant firing and gauged that the Thundertank was incapacitated for the moment; he'd invested heavily in this item – which naturally meant he'd had to shed a lot of blood to steal it, not to mention a lot of valuable time – and it was doing beautifully. If any more ships came in he could blow them away, and it was quite satisfying when it happened. He'd done it three times before.

But now the young lion was back, feet scratched and slightly waterlogged. "You were drowning, last I saw. Did your golden girl save you?" Hammerhand asked idly.

"Yes. And we made it through the cliffs." He did not come any closer, gazing at the captain. "How many people have you killed in the name of becoming a great pirate, only to have your empire crumble right now?"

"Is it crumbling? Last I checked part of my keep was destroyed. That's hardly the destruction of an empire."

Lion-O didn't alter his expression. "What about the men down there that have died for you?"

Hammerhand shrugged. "Pathetic creatures looking for a bit of gold. Some criminals, some fathers unable to feed their children. There will always be more to find. They're just as replaceable as the wood."

The boy had two swords now, and Hammerhand sighed. "I don't think having an extra blade will help you. Just let me kill you and save yourself the effort. You'll never get out of here."

"Never say never," Lion-O said mildly. Then he swooped in and Hammerhand had his cutlass out.

It became evident very quickly that this boy was, in fact, a swordsman. With two swords he moved differently, and Hammerhand had to shift to fend off the blows. Lion-O flowed like water, turning and ducking, swift and deadly.

Hammerhand narrowed his eyes. "You were trained with two swords." Lion-O nodded once, slinging back with a flick of his wrist and breaking their stances. "Why use the other one then?"

"I was instructed to." Lion-O blocked the hammer and sliced into the captain's side, blood stemming from the wound. Hammerhand's eyes widened and he slammed the hammer against the blade, jarring Lion-O's hand. Instead of loosening his grip he twirled the weapon, shaking out the vibration, and swept in again, side to side to side like a viper.

Hammerhand and Lion-O continued this deadly dance for several minutes, neither speaking as the match was waged. Both came close to cutting the other's throat several times, but each time only a dusting of hair was cut loose. Hammerhand's cool expression grew darker and uglier with every missed blow. Lion-O's face remained cool the entire time.

It was when his cutlass and hammer began to grow heavy that Hammerhand realized this bizarre lion – this dual swordsman that wielded one blade and then two – might get the best of him. He was weary though, and had nearly drowned hours ago; how was he suddenly better? "How are you doing this?" he spat.

"I've been practicing with two swords since I was six. One blade only a year." The lion's voice was mild and Hammerhand was disgusted to see him lighten his attack, giving him a moment or two to breathe. "It's almost a comfort now that I get to use these again. If you surrender we'll arrest you. This doesn't have to end in death." He changed topics very quickly, but Hammerhand kept swinging his mallet, still a deadly force.

"Why are you wasting my time here?" he asked.

Lion-O shrugged. "To keep you away from the cannon."

Hammerhand stopped, save for his hammer, which struck Lion-O blades aside and allowed him to back away and turn to look at his weapon. The tiger was watching it from a fair distance – when had he gotten here? – and the smell of gunpowder and burlap sack burning made Hammerhand take a step back.

The cannon erupted, a sack of powder blowing it to pieces. Ears ringing, the captain ran to it and looked down to see the Thundertank opening and the panther and a dog – Captain Masti, if he recalled – climbing out and fighting his lowly sailors. There weren't many left. Most of them were surrendering, explaining why they'd exited their killing machine.

"Like I said Hammerhand. Surrender. This doesn't have to end in death." Lion-O approached by a few paces and Hammerhand scanned the ground with roving eyes. He glanced over his shoulder, white locks ruffled by the sea's breezes. The blades shone brightly in the moonlight and Lion-O's face was firm.

Hammerhand suddenly sagged, putting his cutlass away. "Give me a moment, boy. That was a shock." He held his chest with his good hand and he marveled at the boy's stupidity; he actually lowered his blades a fraction of an inch. Such a kind nature.

And then Hammerhand was sprinting across the wall, swinging over the edge and into an inner window so he could run down the long halls of his keep to reach the base floor. "Hey!" The young lion started after him and he could hear the tiger as well, but Hammerhand did not stop. It was down toward the dog and panther he went, whistling for whatever remained of a crew as he came out under the moon, slowing to a rolling prowl.

Masti didn't slobber as much when he was fighting. One of the few men that had bothered even trying to resist Hammerhand's reach, he was a paragon to his men. Oh, he'd never been foolish enough to outright defy The Mad Mallet, but there were words and phrases that seemed to keep his dignity that sullied Hammerhand's own. It was for this reason Hammerhand decided to do what he did next, as he gathered his few remaining men – as two or three struggled against the panther – and made for the ship.

Nothing distracted like a fallen comrade. He stole up behind Captain Masti and ran his cutlass through the hound's back, piercing one lung.

The dog yipped, cut short. The panther turned and his jaw fell only slightly; he'd seen much death. Hammerhand threw the now-bleeding hound his way and kept running, six of his sailors pelting after him toward the ship.

His idea worked half as well as he'd have liked. The lion faltered by the sound of his footsteps but the tiger was still coming, heavier and more determined. Hammerhand flicked his cutlass and began to turn, ready to run the tiger through as well.

Something hairy fumbled under his feet and he fell, cursing and stunned, hammer cracking the planks through to the metal understructure. The tiger stopped over him and stepped hard on his cutlass arm. The tiger managed to hit flesh and bone and Hammerhand snarled when the bone snapped and his hand opened instinctually. The sailors either continued running or stopped, paralyzed by the sight of the Terror of the Sea brought down.

Hammerhand looked to see what he'd tripped over…and saw the boy and the little beast Snarf standing and looking at him. The boy was looking toward Masti with horrified tears and the beast gazed at Hammerhand himself coldly. "You are a demon and a brute."

He stared at the little creature as it turned away and headed toward Masti, marveling in spite of himself at the fact that it could talk.

* * *

Lion-O had never seen someone die.

Bleeding, injuries? Sure, he'd seen those. And he'd heard that the person had died later. But he'd never actually been right there, in the blood and heat and hair, and heard something trying to breathe when it wasn't possible because a lung had burst. He'd read books – fiction novels and nonfiction records – about men bleeding out and dying, but none of them really came close. Many of them were cleaned up and dramatized, giving poetic last words.

Masti's mouth ran wet with blood and saliva. Panthro was trying to staunch the wound but with the practiced motions of someone who was sewing up a cloth that was tearing. Lion-O fell to his knees and said, "Captain…Masti, hang on." The dog's eyes were wide and yet strangely unafraid in the way dog eyes often were. He simply lay across Panthro's knee and Lion-O looked around uselessly. "We have to do something!"

"Lion-O." Panthro's voice was low. "Take Kat. He doesn't need to see this."

"But…but Masti…?"

Panthro shook his head. Lion-O's stomach seemed to fall out of his body and he felt his hands tremble. "Go get Kat. Distract him, I don't know."

Lion-O nodded dumbly and managed to get to Kat, who was staring at the blood. "Kat, don't look. Come on, let's…go to the dock and wait for the others."

He tugged at the tiny, shaking shoulder but the boy wouldn't turn. "Captain Masti…we gotta help him…"

"Panthro's doing what he can. Go with Lion-O, be lookout." Snarf's voice was calm and cool. "Go on now. Panthro gave you a job."

Kat turned and Lion-O forced his throat not to bob because if Kat was going to melt down he couldn't do the same. He was grown, he was a fighter, he was…

He'd never killed anyone in battle. He'd been aiming to disarm the whole time, but if Hammerhand had died…well, he was a bad man and had threatened children. Killing him would have been no great crime, although Lion-O would have preferred him to face a proper trial and be formally executed. Some semblance of justice. But he'd hesitated for just a second because, even in that demon's face, there had been something like pain and fear. Things he empathized with. He thought he'd seen a person.

It had only taken one second of indecision and Captain Masti was paying for it. Lion-O nearly tripped and had to sit down when they reached the docks. The Mad Mallet floated silently nearby, like a crocodile, and Lion-O realized at last how tired his legs and arms were. They were trembling, and so was Kat. "It's going to be okay," he said dully.

"Captain Masti came to help me and Snarf. He's a good guy. And now he's dying." Kat stared at the water with vague eyes. Curse smart children.

"Maybe Panthro can…"

Lion-O stopped. He was a poor liar, and his voice broke. "It's my fault," Kat said suddenly.

"No. No, none of this is your fault." It was Hammerhand's for kidnapping Kat, it was the sailors' for not standing up for themselves, it was Masti's for not watching his back, it was the crew's for not being here.

No.

"This is my fault. I…I let my guard down for one second and Hammerhand escaped. He was going for his ship, and he stabbed Masti to distract us. Kat, this is completely my fault. Mine. Not yours."

Kat looked at him and Lion-O tucked one arm around the boy, feeling his trembling go into Kat and then right back into himself. "He just wanted to distract us? That's why he killed Masti?" Kat seemed a little bewildered.

"I guess."

Kat shook his head. "That's crazy. Who does that?"

Lion-O lowered his chin to his knees and hated himself for being like a little boy. But Kat merely mimicked him and they waited as the tentative ship slipped through the pass, drawn by the silence. They were bundled together and Lion-O wished that he had been prepared for this. He'd fought with swords guarded on the edges in all his matches, every victory meant only bruises and knocked heads. Never a bleeding man or woman. He hadn't known how to kill. And an innocent, good man had paid for his ineptitude.

Kat stirred. "My tummy feels bad."

Lion-O held him tighter. "Mine too."

* * *

Cheetara knew that she had been wrong to stay when she reached the keep – or the splintered remains of it – and saw a covered body lying reverently before Panthro's knees. She cupped a hand over her mouth and looked around. Tygra was over there, talking to Kit and detaching Hammerhand's hammer arm, Snarf was talking to a deadly-weary, deadly-sorrowful Bullie, and Kat was sitting near his sister, cuddled in a blanket and letting her fuss over him. And Lion-O?

Staring at nothing, sitting on the dock. His swords sat beside him and Cheetara approached, holding Araknay's arm like a woman would hold a toddler's hand. The creature whimpered, petrified by all the people, but Cheetara sent her an image of soft, of kind, of safety. This soothed her enough that she click-clicked over the metal and broken wood.

"Lion-O? What happened?" She touched his shoulder and he turned his head to look at her. He seemed smaller than usual. "Creator forgive me, I knew I should have gone with you!"

"No. Don't blame yourself. It was all my fault. You could have stopped it if I let you come, but I made the wrong call. I thought I could handle Hammerhand. This isn't anybody's fault but mine." Araknay cocked her head. "Captain Masti is dead. Hammerhand stabbed him from behind."

Cheetara's heart sagged. She hadn't known Masti very well but he'd been a good man, kind and honorable. No one could have such respect from his men if he weren't. And he'd shown great kindness and generosity by taking them on board his ship with so few questions. She glanced at his body, still covered by a sheet, and understood Bullie's devastation. It wasn't so much like losing a good friend for her; it more like a star had gone out, darkening an already dark sky.

"I'm sorry." She heard a strange noise from where Tygra had been standing and looked up to see him staring at Araknay. His face had turned the color of oatmeal and she heard several shouts and gasps, and nearly slapped herself for not saying something.

"Cheetara. Don't move. There's…a huge, spider, mutant thing-spider behind you." Tygra's voice was three octaves too high and Snarf yowled, turning tail and huddling behind Panthro, who had a perturbed expression on his face.

"No, it's okay! Araknay is all right. She helped us get out of the cliffs!" The spider creature ducked her face behind her stump-legs and Cheetara patted her shoulder. Tygra looked openly woozy and the sailors began to murmur. Hammerhand eyed the creature.

"A demon did live in the cliffs then?"

Lion-O's head lifted. "No. The demon lived outside," he said coldly. Araknay chittered and both kittens came close, Kit shyly and Kat with reserved, tired curiosity.

"Kittens, this is Araknay. She was cursed a long time ago and has been hiding in the cliffs. She wasn't the one hurting people though. She's been trying to help people that get lost in the tunnels." Cheetara felt it was essential that everyone understand this.

"Lion-O said something about her sending the dead people back to the coast. That's nice of her," Kat said faintly. Araknay tilted her head embarrassedly and dared to pat one of his ears. "Cheetara, Captain Masti…he came to help."

"I know. I'm sorry I wasn't here." She crouched and hugged both kittens, though it was Kat who seemed hardest hit. "Did we get the Sword of Omens back?"

Lion-O lifted the gauntlet and let the moonlight bounce off the hilt as a reply. Cheetara sighed. "Good."

Kat put his arms out from under the blanket and showed her a messenger. Cheetara frowned and took it. "It was in Hammerhand's desk. Snarf stole the key by acting like a pet and we got this along with the sword. It has a recording of the lady that paid Hammerhand to come after us."

She looked at the object with new interest. There had been audio recordings in Red-Eye's office and a few videos, but none had been well lit – he hadn't needed a bright image she'd supposed – but when she opened the most recent recording it was easy to see the woman and hear her speak. She had a wrinkled, squat face and long, white hair, skin purple and fierce as a thunderstorm or a distant mountain. Her mouth was violet and very expressive, and her eyes were translucent and sharp as splintered amber. She seemed familiar in a way. Her use of witchery to form ice on her hands made Cheetara scowl.

"So this is the lady in charge of Red-Eye, Tug-Mug and Gyp? I'll bet she's commanding Slithe and the other Mutation users too." She gave the messenger board back to Kat. "You were very brave to take this and to keep your head around Hammerhand. I'm very proud of you. And you," she added to Kit, who looked a little abandoned. "I saw you helping Tygra a second ago. I'll bet you helped Bullie on the ship, didn't you?"

"Yeah. But now Bullie's real sad. Why did that bad Hammerhand have to do that?" Kit's ears slunk low. "If we hadn't been on the ship, Captain Masti wouldn't have died…"

Araknay sighed and patted her shoulder. Kit didn't seem alarmed by the bristles and stump. Bullie had heard this, ears perking. "Don't be that way, lass. He went down helping stop a vile pirate. My captain would not have gone any other way. The Terror of the Sea has been brought low and will face justice; Captain Masti sits by the Creator with joy as we speak." He wiped his eyes and his nose seemed to glisten. "One fewer scoundrel running free…that would please him greatly."

Panthro stood up and four dogs came to the body. "I said a couple of military men prayers and rites over him. A captain deserves no less. The world lost a good man today." With that he allowed them to bear the body toward the shaky Sassy Hound, and Panthro approached Cheetara. "You all right, girl? Those cliffs are supposed to be a death sentence."

"It would have been without Araknay." And, she reflected, the golden cat she'd seen. But right now there were other things to tend to. Tygra had at last wrestled his fear down enough to stand ten paces away from Araknay, who stood hesitantly, as if incredibly nervous. "Lion-O, the Sword of Omens? Do you think it can help her?"

Lion-O stood up, face drawn. "I don't know. I'm afraid it might hurt her. I was thinking about it, and I don't know if it'll destroy the curse without destroying her. The Berbils were totally innocent, but she was a witch. Not that I hold it against her, it's just…"

Araknay brushed Cheetara's side again. Acceptance, humble waiting. Repentance and a willingness to try even if-

Cheetara stiffened. "Lion-O, she's been trapped this way for a long, long time. She says she believes her family is all dead, and if that's so, she'd like to see them again. Freedom one way or the other is what she wants."

Araknay nodded. The kittens exchanged glances. "What are you guys talking about?" Kit asked.

"I think we should go clean up some of the driftwood," Snarf said quickly, nosing at their ankles. "Come along, this isn't for us. We might be able to find material enough to help mend The Sassy Hound. Captain Masti would like that."

"Okay." Kat went with only a glance over his shoulder at Araknay and the others, and Kit walked alongside Snarf, relatively unaffected.

"So do either of you want to tell us what the Ghen this thing is and what you're doing?" Tygra looked tired, haggard, and Cheetara gave him a long look. "What? The rest of us didn't wander into some freak caves and see whatever you did. We've been trying to get a kidnapped kid back along with the Sword of Omens!"

"…Are you okay?" she asked. His expression seemed to break and he rubbed his forehead.

"Fine. Just…we didn't know what happened to you two." He ran his fingers over his eyes and pressed his palms flat to his mouth. "Okay," he continued in a muffled voice. "So, this thing has a curse on it is what you're saying. And it hasn't actually been eating people in the cliffs."

"Right. She was a witch with her family because they were trying to drive off enemies that destroyed her village. They tried to break the contracts with the demons who then cursed her and the others and turned them into…well, what you see." Cheetara folded her arms. "The Sword of Omens cleaves evil asunder. We thought that, since it at least helped the Berbils, maybe…"

"Right, okay. Got that. But Lion-O thinks that because she did something evil – y'know, fraternizing with 'demons' or whatever – that the sword will kill her."

Lion-O nodded. "Maybe."

"All right, up to speed. Thank you." Tygra looked off toward the kittens. "This is totally your department Cheetara. I'm going to look after the kids. If she dies, they don't need to know. Not to sound callous, but I'm exhausted and the kids are starved."

"Go on. Thank you for all you did." Lion-O looked at Tygra and Panthro. "I'm glad you two were here."

Panthro grunted. Tygra waved a hand and left, fur messy. Cheetara gazed after him for a second. "He really was worried about us." Almost amused – almost – she turned to Lion-O. "If Araknay is willing to try, you know we have to."

"Maybe she should wait until we find the King's Door and fix the Sword fully," Lion-O began, but the blade in his hand pulsed with light. And then, in a little tug, it jolted forward, right into Araknay's chest.

Everyone froze and Lion-O's eyes grew round, horrified at the motion that had dragged his hand. As they watched the blade sink deeper Araknay shivered and made a strange, squeaking noise. Her many legs shrank, swollen spider body shriveling into soft fur, coarse bristles fading. The arm stumps sprouted fingers and the wasted torso filled again, and the spider legs vanished in time for two of them to turn to soft calves and thighs. The extra eyes winked out and sealed shut, all going as quick as a droplet into dry ground.

For a second she was just a brown cat, about sixteen, with a light belly, chest and face. She was quite naked, and her hair was short and black, soft as gossamer. A young slip of a thing, Araknay looked up from the blade in her breast with large, liquid eyes. She smiled faintly.

Then the Sword of Omens jolted back from her chest and she crumpled like a rag onto the ground. Cheetara caught her and Lion-O dropped the sword, falling to his knees to check her pulse, pressing them to her throat. A thin rivulet of blood spilled from between her small breasts.

His hand fell away from her neck and he stared at her still face. "She's dead. It…it killed her."

Panthro seemed least affected by all this, but more than a little confused. Cheetara gazed down at the youthful girl and noticed that her tail was as limp and limber as her neck. Lion-O looked to the Sword of Omens and his face twisted in agonized anger. "Why did you do that? Why!?"

Using the gauntlet he swiped at it, sending it skittering a few feet. It shrank as it went and came to a stop under the cold moon. "She just wanted to be cured! She was sorry for what she'd done! You should have let her live! You…"

Cheetara took Lion-O's chin and he swallowed his rage. His eyes were bright, a little damp. Cheetara guided him to look at Araknay with a feather-soft touch. "She's smiling. Look."

Indeed she was. Dead people never looked so peaceful and Cheetara had to work around a lump in her throat to say, "Lion-O, she wanted to see her family again. Maybe…maybe the Sword of Omens thought it would be the greatest good to free her completely. From her curse and her loneliness. Maybe."

"But…"

Lion-O wiped his eyes and held his head. "Captain Masti died and now Araknay. We've kept everyone alive and safe so far. Why did…why did this have to happen? Why couldn't the Sword of Omens just…?"

"Let her live? I don't know. But Lion-O, I saw what she wanted. She wanted to see her sisters again. She wouldn't kill herself. The Sword decided it had to do this."

Lion-O looked up at Panthro and then at Cheetara, still confused. "I didn't want to kill her."

"You didn't. The Sword of Omens did. It decided her fate, not you," Cheetara said firmly. Panthro knelt beside her. "Panthro, will you take her? Wrap her up like Captain Masti?"

"Yeah. You and Lion-O need to be patched up." He seemed ready to say something else but paused.

"Go on. I'll…take care of things." She nodded in Lion-O's direction. He had taken the Sword of Omens in his hands and was staring it in open palms. Panthro took the girl, unaffected by her nakedness; she was such a tiny little thing compared to him. Cheetara took Lion-O's shoulders. "Lion-O, we should wash off our cuts and get something to eat. You're tired, and so am I. And we can say a prayer for Araknay and Masti."

He stood up and Cheetara sighed. "I know you wanted to help. And you did. But there are things bigger than us out there, and sometimes…what we want isn't really what's supposed to be. I believe they're both at home with the Creator. All we can do is keep going and protect as many others as we can."

Lion-O lifted his head and looked at her for a minute, and she saw tenseness in the muscles around his eyes. He looked so tired. "I still have questions. Where were Araknay's sisters? Why did Captain Masti help us? Why is Hammerhand so awful? Why did…everything go wrong?" He shrugged, voice dropping. "No one I've known has ever died."

All of sudden his pain made more sense. He'd never had to look death in the face before. Cheetara wrapped him in her arms and just held him. "It'll be okay. Promise. It's hard right now, but it'll be okay."

Lion-O hesitated. Then he leaned into her, hugging her back and warming her shoulder with his breath.

* * *

It was a little while before they finally boarded one of the ships that had come to the keep. But once they did, they washed and ate and both were asleep once their heads hit the rough cushions. It wasn't until late into the night that the kittens, Panthro, Tygra, and Snarf came on board and the ships set off back to the coast. They were witnesses to Hammerhand's crimes and had to be part of taking him back to the coast; even Panthro didn't complain about taking another day.

The next day passed in a whirl. A mob gathered on the coast when they heard the great and terrible Hammerhand had been caught, and it was a job getting him safely to one of the few prisons on the coast. Panthro pushed a way through the throng and the pirate was locked up, mostly unscathed. He heard a familiar voice calling him a whore's son and a sympathizer to criminals, but he had his orders; Hammerhand would face justice in a court, and his name would be recorded as justly executed.

He punched a few lights out when three cats came at him to get to the prison cell, foaming for blood.

The Thundertank was bruised and battered, but after an evening of tinkering it was back in passable shape. Panthro would rather have tended to every scratch and replaced every battered part, but alas, there wasn't time. He settled for making sure the tank would run well and assuring it – when no one was around – that he would clean it up nice.

Lion-O spoke very little, even when Bullie was named captain of The Sassy Hound and offered to take them across the sea on a ship that was kindly lent to them. Bullie planned to give The Sassy Hound a new name; The Brave Mastiff. Panthro thought it very fitting and saluted out to the ocean once while standing on the deck of the ship. He'd seen many good men die. Captain Masti was just another one. He deserved respect though, and Panthro added his name to the tally in his head that he thought of on quiet, calm days.

It felt strange to reach the other side of the sea and glimpse the ocean only leagues away. "It should take a day to reach the ferry's destination in your tank, but I would make sure of its repairs before setting off. Tropo has grown strange, and the ferry does not come as often." Bullie bade them farewell with this advice, and Panthro watched the ship fade, all the while keeping a hand on Kat's shoulder. He seemed to be taking Masti's death especially hard, and Panthro was moved by a pity he didn't often feel.

He was strong and turned away from the Fel Sea, from its angry coast and blood-soaked waters. He would remember, but a soldier could not let the past haunt him, and they still had a long way to go.

Snarf in particular seemed to cheer everyone. He gamboled and rolled and told funny stories, prancing about so much that the kittens – and Lion-O, Panthro added mentally – had to forget everything else to keep up with his tricks and jokes. The sun and flowers seemed to bloom with extra color as the ground passed and it seemed warmer every minute.

He noticed Cheetara and Lion-O walking considerably closer than they had been, talking more often than usual. He supposed he understood; it wasn't every day two people survived an impossible, deadly cliff together and one saved the other from drowning. And they seemed to understand how the other felt better than any others there.

Still, he exchanged glances with Tygra, whose brows rose in reply. Panthro sighed. Frigging kids.

Kat sat in the passenger seat of the Thundertank while the others walked, appreciating the weather. The boy watched the land turn more and more tropical by the foot, marveling. "Why is it so beachy here?"

"Low land compared to the mountains up north. We're close to the equator line of the planet here and now that we're beyond the cliffs it's a warm path until we reach the mountains again and start heading up. There's only one path through the mountains and it'll be chilly because of the altitude. They say you can stand on top of the closest mountain, stand in wicked cold, and look down at hot, balmy tropics." Panthro watched Kat's ears prick to the sound of birds and the rustle of leaves and flowers.

"Cool." He sounded only vaguely interested. Panthro continued driving for a while, saying nothing else. "Panthro?"

"Hm?"

"Is it my fault Captain Masti died?"

Panthro did not brake but his foot hovered as the wheels crunched over the sand. "Is that what you think?"

Kat didn't look at him, feet dangling against the seat. "Kind of. Lion-O said it wasn't, but I'm not sure he's right."

Panthro mulled his words over carefully. "The fight against Hammerhand would have happened eventually whether you'd been taken or not. Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't do anything about. Masti went fighting for his crew and innocent people."

Kat nodded, looking up at last. His eyes were cloudy and Panthro recognized the look of a kid that had seen real death for the first time. No, not death – murder. In spite of himself he gruffly rubbed one large hand over Kat's hair. The kid was so small he could have crushed his head with a squeeze. "Hammerhand was a bad man. It was his fault Masti died. Don't ever start thinking it was your fault. Okay? You're a good kid, and if Masti had known Hammerhand was going to kill him today, he would have done the same thing he did. Well…okay, maybe he would have tried to turn in time to punch his teeth in, but you get what I mean."

Kat sniffed but smiled a little and Panthro felt awkward. He'd had to talk down many soldiers, but to do it for a child felt strange. He had to cut out all the sharpest parts, soften the corners a little, but it was the same principal. Truthfully? It wasn't Kat's fault. He couldn't have done anything. But Masti had died because they went to get the kid.

But the injustice of laying that kind of pain on a child was just too much. And so Panthro left it there, aware that Kat was looking around a little more and with more interest.

"Oh wow! Look at it!" Cheetara was pointing to something and Panthro saw Kit's jaws drop when she ran up ahead to where they were standing. It took a minute for the tank to reach the place where they could see as well, but when they looked out over the view even Panthro whistled.

The ocean lay before them, bluer and deeper than the Fel Sea, and to the right he could vaguely see a city. It looked muggy and golden from here, but he knew Tropo when he saw it. And only an hour away or so was a cove, dipping down to the coast and curling slightly. "The Ferry's Cove. They pass it on the way to their dock. It'd be a good place to set up camp to keep an eye out for it. Unless you lot want to squat right by the dock along with every other person that wants across."

"No! I wanna go to the beach! It's so pretty! Please, please?" Kit ran to Cheetara and Lion-O to make her case and Tygra looked at Panthro.

"Sounds like the cove is where we're going. Fishing's good around here; I'll bet we could have something fresh for dinner."

Lion-O seemed to sigh. "Why is there so much water in the world?"

Cheetara took his shoulder. "Come on, now I get to live up to my promise. You're going to learn to swim while we wait."

If a cat ever looked more like he was going to the hangman's noose, Panthro would have offered him a shot glass. As it was he thumped Lion-O on the back.

* * *

Lion-O was utterly torn on the matter of learning to swim. On the one hand he really hated water. Really. It petrified him, made his stomach contort unnaturally. And learning to swim in a place as gigantic and uncaring as the ocean when he hadn't been able to figure out in the sea – an oceanette, if he could classify it – was just a horrifying concept. Cheetara assured him they were going to stay in the shallows and she would be right by.

The cove was, however, undeniably beautiful. A set of rocks about twenty feet high provided shade from the sun, and in their shadow they started a fire to heat up any fish they caught. Water poured in a small fall from the rocks, possibly from a river that wove underground, and prisms reflected off the stone because of it. Panthro waded into the ocean and started fishing with Tygra, who was quite at home in the water and stripped off his shirt and breeches with impunity. The kittens stayed on the coast and played in the small waves, letting them knock them over and splash them. When they tired of this they looked for shiny shells. The water was clear as liquid glass when they waded in and the tropical flowers smelled so sweet that Snarf could not help but go exploring so he could try to identify them.

The nervousness actually drove Masti and Araknay from his mind, so perhaps it had usefulness.

"Come on Lion-O, the first step is the hardest." He slowly shucked off his cloak and then his armor and shirt, dragging the cloth over his fur. Cheetara ducked around the other side of the Thundertank to change into something that could get wet and he decided to keep his breeches on. The sun was hot and he'd dry quick enough anyway. He did strip off the gauntlet though and stowed it in the locked Thundertank.

The Sword was harder. He had his dual blades in the trunk again but he'd just recovered the Sword of Omens. He was still hiding his disgust with its…action, but he couldn't let anything happen to it. Finally he took a few straps of leather they had used to pitch tents at night and wove them over his shoulder and tied the Sword of Omens to them. It remained in its shortened form and weighed very little, much less than the gauntlet would have.

"Good thinking. Let's not lose it again, huh?" He looked at Cheetara to reply and noticed that she had apparently brought swimwear along with her clothes. An orange bathing suit with a red cloth skirt around the waist, it was modest and fetching. She tied her hair up higher and tossed it over her shoulder to keep it out of the way. She had a pretty way about her on the hot sand, spots bright brown under the sun.

He glanced at the water, then at Cheetara, and decided that perhaps learning to swim might not be so bad.

"Come on in then." Her tail flicked in his direction and she waded into the froth and foam. "Ah, cold, cold!"

Lion-O prodded the wet sand with a toe and forced his breathing to remain calm. The water was indeed cold and felt almost rough with salt and sand stirring under him. He managed to make it up to his waist before stopping, spine rigid. "Okay, I'm in."

Cheetara coaxed him out a little further. "Come on over here, the waves are blocked a little. We're going to work on getting you treading water first."

When Tygra and Panthro returned to the coast with several fat, stunned fish, Tygra openly grinned at the sight of Lion-O floundering in five feet of water. Cheetara took his arm to make him stop and said, "I told you, water isn't air. You need to move smoothly or you'll wear yourself out. Nice, slow, smooth motions." She treaded water beside him easily, and Lion-O drew a breath before mimicking her. It went slightly better and she grinned. "Good! See, it isn't so bad."

Lion-O could not quite agree with her, but as the minutes ticked by and he didn't go under, he felt the knot of fear in his chest loosening ever so slightly. Cheetara moved neatly through the water with a qualm, enjoying herself as a child in a wading pool. Lion-O watched the glint of her golden fur as the sun bounced off it through the water and admired the way her thick mane twisted like a cloud about her head.

She surfaced and returned to him. "Okay. When you're getting tired and need to rest, it's good to be able to float on your back." Cheetara did so easily, drifting along with her tail guiding her humorously like a rudder. Lion-O tried to do the same and flipped in the water, rolling over and sputtering when he broke the surface again. Tygra laughed and Cheetara tossed a piece of wet seaweed at him crossly. "Here, let me help."

Lion-O jumped when her hand touched his back but shook himself and tried to pay attention as she showed him how to float and then how to backstroke a little. It was only a little while before they were called back to shore and it was with relief that he got out of the water, suddenly exhausted. Cheetara seemed optimistic though as she headed to the Thundertank to climb in and change.

"Don't drip on the seats," Panthro called without looking.

"I won't." She climbed back out looking rumpled and clothed, but Lion-O just stayed in his breeches. The sun would dry them. The kittens were reluctant to give up their search for shells and treasures, and it was good to see the spark in Kat's eyes as the children approached and Snarf bounded up along behind them with several plants in his mouth.

"Look, this shell is all rough on the outside but it's super shiny inside! And I found a pearl in a clam!" Kit held it up and the slight yellow tinge marked it as real. "Papa always said fake pearls are smooth, but real ones are gritty against your tooth."

Kat had a conch and was putting his ear to it. "I hear the ocean , but I think that's just the real thing."

Tygra took the pink, spiky shell and said, "You know what you're really hearing when you hear 'the ocean' in these? It's the blood moving through your ears. The sound echoes in the shell."

Kat and Kit both seemed awed. "Really? Awesome!" Snarf dropped his load of plants and flowers by the fire as Panthro worked to remove the fish from the heat. The meal smelled good, roasted fish and salt he'd added from their supply.

"I've been examining some of these plants and I believe they have medicinal properties. This one could be used for burn medication, although I'd prefer to test it. Very similar to some of the kinds in the forest. Tygra, you still have the microscope, correct? You could compare their cells." Snarf sifted through the leaves, sniffing them. "This one might be good for sick stomach and high amounts of stomach acid."

Lion-O listened to the talk and ate in silence. Kat was sufficiently distracted, but Lion-O was left to brood as he remembered the smell of Masti's blood and Araknay's dead body. It had only been a day and a half and the Sword of Omens felt heavier against his shoulder blades than it ought to.

Was Cheetara right? Did the thing end Araknay's life out of kindness or was it just a force of blind justice? He wanted to recoil from it, from his own mind. But he couldn't. This was the point of it all, wasn't it?

To see and travel as a person of no name and authority, following where he was led.

Cheetara was looking at him. He stirred and attempted to take part in the talk as Panthro scanned the horizon. "We'll probably be here a couple of days. Our supply of water is good and we can head up the falls to get fresh water. The ferry should arrive any day now, so one of us will have to keep watch at all times."

"What else is new? I'll take first watch," Tygra said. With that he leaned back against a rock and stretched, fingers and toes curling. "This kind of watch duty I can get used to."

"All right. I'll figure out some nets so catching fish will be easier. Kat, Kit, I want you to take inventory of our supplies," Panthro said. Both hurried to the Thundertank, delighted to have jobs. "Snarf, why don't you keep looking around for plants that might be useful? Tygra can look at them later and we'll see if we can't find something we're familiar with."

Snarf saluted. "Of course."

"I could collect firewood," Cheetara offered.

"We've got plenty of leaves and dead wood from palm trees. I think we'll be fine. You can teach Lion-O more swimming after you wait a while," Panthro said. "Lion-O, you just rest a little. You've been looking peaky."

Lion-O felt his smile fade instantly. "I'm fine."

"Let's keep it that way; take a nap or something. You need to recharge. There's some shade by the falls, use that." The larger cat pointed and marched off toward some other trees, taking down vines and starting to weave them as he went.

Lion-O glowered and Cheetara cocked her head. "I'm fine. Really."

"We know." Her voice was gentle. "Still, we should take the chance to rest a little while we have it. You've been fretting about a lot. And you're taking what happened really hard. It wasn't your fault you know."

"Yes it was. But sure, sleep will solve the problems." He didn't intend to be so biting and paused as he got up. "I'm sorry. I just keep thinking that, if I'd done something different…maybe if I'd had you come with us…or if I hadn't let the Sword of Omens near Araknay…"

Cheetara walked with him toward the falls. It was just a tiny thing, cheerful and splattering the ocean with rich foam, and the rocks below it were cooler with shade. It was a few inches above the ocean itself but Lion-O found the distance tolerable. It was only a few feet deep here. Cheetara sat beside him, splashing her feet in the water. "Once when I was little," she said suddenly, "I was playing with another little girl in Dera's Run. We were at a busy road playing ball, which was stupid. We were kids and didn't worry about the carts. Well, at one point a cart's driver lost control of his steed and it plowed toward us. I grabbed her hand and tried to run out of the way, but I was too fast and she fell, slipping out of my hand. It hit her."

Lion-O twitched, looking at Cheetara as his heart clenched. "She lived," Cheetara assured, "but she was lame. Her legs were broken and they never healed right. The best she could do was hobble around with walking sticks. For months after it happened I couldn't go outside, or play ball, or anything. I felt too guilty. If she wasn't able to run and play ball, I shouldn't either."

"It wasn't your fault. It was an accident." Lion-O sensed this was where she was going and tried to gather himself to fend off her throwing this right back. But to his surprise, she shook her head.

"I knew it was dangerous. I said we could play there. At least partially, it was my fault. And I know that." The only sound was that of the falls joining the ocean, drifting into the salt. "It was about three months after the accident when I heard someone knocking on the door when the bar was closed. I opened it and there she was, sitting in a wheelchair that her father had made. She had a ball in her lap and asked if I wanted to play."

She tugged her feet from the water. "I asked her why she wanted to play with me. She said because she didn't blame me. I told her it was my fault what happened, and she didn't say it wasn't. She just said, 'You tried to help.' And the way she said it suddenly made me realize that, even though I was partly responsible, this wasn't going to help anyone. Sitting around inside wasn't going to fix her legs, and at best it would just mean I wouldn't be there next time to get someone to a safe place."

Cheetara leaned back on her hands. "So I played. We went to a safe area and I tossed the ball in her direction. She caught pretty well. Then she would throw it back. After a while I forgot she was in a wheelchair." Looking at him, she had a peaceful expression. "If you're going to take some of that blame, you have to use it to help next time, not drown in it. Personally, I don't see how you can think it was your job to know everything that was happening with Masti and Panthro when we'd just gotten out."

"I was too weak to kill Hammerhand. He looked so old and injured that I hesitated." Lion-O looked out to the water, because looking at it was easier than seeing sympathy in her eyes.

"All right, well, be ready for next time. Sometimes doing the right thing is hard. Sometimes it doesn't feel right, like going back out to play." She laughed, a bitter note in her voice. "Of course, killing someone is a lot harder. Sorry, they don't really bear comparing."

"Yeah they do." Lion-O shuffled his feet a little closer to himself.

"You have a compassionate nature Lion-O. That's a great gift, but it's a heavy one. It's also one of the reasons we all follow you." Cheetara waved an arm in the direction of the others. "You attract the oddest people and they flock to you for help because you're the place they can find it. But you know your enemies will try to use it against you. So…just be ready. Okay?"

He dared to look at her and nodded. She smiled faintly. "And the Araknay thing was the Sword of Omens. I mean it practically jumped out of your hand. So for that you really can't take the blame."

He found himself smiling back in a weak way. "I guess so." Cheetara prodded him.

"Come on, don't look dour." She tickled his bare side and he curled inward to defend himself. "Better."

The smile faded but he sighed. "I'll always think about what happened."

"That's good. That means you won't forget. Just for what it's worth, I think Captain Masti would feel the same way. He didn't strike me as a person to hold grudges. Next time we meet some scumbag that tries to act innocent, we'll be more prepared. Sometimes that's all you have." She stood up, lean and golden in the sunlight. "So rest a little. I'll be back to teach you more swimming in…how about fifty minutes?"

Lion-O sighed again. "Okay. Sounds…good?"

"I almost believed you that time." Cheetara made her way toward the kittens and Lion-O watched her tail. It helped her keep her balance perfectly across the rocks. Then he realized it would look like he was watching something else and looked the other way.

The sound of the falls made him drowsy, and the heat was like a blanket, so after a minute he did lay down, pillowing his head with his arm. It felt strange for there not to be enough jobs for everyone to have something to do, but he supposed that Panthro pitied the cat that had to learn to swim. Lion-O tried to think of it as a friendly gesture instead of a disgusted dismissal. It was hard to tell with Panthro.

Lion-O shut his eyes. He didn't travel with authority but who he was demanded that he accept all responsibility regardless. It was part of being what he was, his lineage. Oh, if only he could tell them…but he couldn't. Jaga and Father had ordered him not to, even to the point of death…

The ocean was a kind lullaby and Lion-O found his drowsiness fading into sleep. Swimming was tiring he realized. Maybe not so much when he learned how properly and worked with the water. Cheetara was so light the water probably did most of the work and was happy to have her navigating the currents with that golden flick of speed, the turn of her wrists as she cut through…

He didn't know when he fell asleep or how long he'd been out. He just felt something wet on his ankle and blinked awake, nerves aware for all of three seconds. Water on the rock? Perhaps a splatter from the falls? He started to shake off his sleepiness.

And then a rough hand grabbed his ankle and dragged him into the water almost before he could snatch a breath.

* * *

Cheetara heard the splash and saw the rock suddenly empty and went into rescue-attack mode faster than Tygra could leave a room with a spider in it.

She grabbed her staff and sprinted back to the water, slick as a missile and hearing Tygra and Panthro start after her, ordering the children to stay on land.

The ocean's salt stung the eyes more than the sea's but she spotted a blur of bronze fur and something gray up ahead and jetted toward it. A sea creature could outswim a cat any day, but Lion-O was struggling and this slowed it down.

Whatever it was it seemed ugly to her. No legs, just a long, sharp, fishy tail. Its arms weren't shaped as arms, more like jointed fins. The fingers could fold together in a point, each one an awkward, flat digit. And its head seemed to have very little neck, nose too long and eyes black and set further back. The mouth was a little bigger than hers and it bared its teeth, all three rows of them.

Some kind of shark. A sentient being. If it saw her it gave no sign. It suddenly released Lion-O's ankle, grinning, and the lion made for the surface. Cheetara nearly stopped, shocked when she saw him break it and gasp for breath. She breached the surface and called, "Lion-O!"

He turned to look at her, just managing to stay afloat, and then he was pulled under again. Cheetara ducked down and saw that the shark had pulled him under again, still grinning.

It was toying with him. Cheetara extended her staff and dove down.

The shark saw her at the last and seemed shocked, gills opening and flapping. Cheetara prodded it hard in the stomach rather than swinging the staff, giving it better speed. The shark wiggled like a stuck fish, belly bruising. At this moment Lion-O – who looked angry now, which was better than fear – clawed at its arm with his nails and drew four lines of blood.

The beast let go immediately and started swimming away. Cheetara didn't bother watching it go, helping Lion-O back up to the surface instead. They gasped upon reaching air – she was really starting to get why he hated water – and saw Panthro and Tygra coming out to meet them. Lion-O was pressed close, shivering as he tried to help her tow him back.

"Save some for the rest of us, huh?" Tygra demanded. "I can swim, sure, but when you pelt out here like greased lightning…"

Panthro growled. "You okay kid?" Lion-O coughed and nodded in reply, Cheetara gripping his arm. They slogged ashore, the kittens dancing on the sand. "Don't you move! We'll be there in a sec, we're not risking you getting dragged in!"

Snarf jumped to Lion-O's shoulder when he finally slumped on the dry sand. "Can you breathe? Is your vision all right?"

Lion-O glanced back at the waves. "I'm never…sleeping…again."

"That answers the first one." Tygra scoured the horizon and said, "We should move further away."

"It didn't have legs," Cheetara noted, glaring out toward the waves. "I've never heard much of the sea and its people."

"I'm sure there are plenty of fish in the sea. A few cities have creatures that can come onto land, but they've always kept to themselves," Tygra said. "Was it a sentient?"

"I think so." Cheetara took the kittens' hands and drew them further up the beach. "Why would it attack? We need to be careful around the water from now on. Kat, Kit, no more wading." Both of them groaned. "Lion-O, no more swimming for now."

He looked happier than she'd seen him in a while.

* * *

It was three days before the ferry came, cutting through the water like a floating mansion. It was tall and wide, made of wood and painted in red and white to stand out on the ocean. Cheetara was surprised by its size. It could have held hundreds of people.

They headed down to the docks and were surprised to see no others. "No wonder it doesn't come around very often," Snarf noted. The beach was still beautiful but everyone was relieved to get out of there. They'd seen the shark again, once near the falls. It had thrown something at them, hissing before ducking back under the water.

"What is it with all these crazy beings and throwing feces at us?" Tygra had wondered upon analyzing the piece. Kat had made faces at it and begged to be allowed to go pee in the ocean.

"There's no way it'll swim directly through your pee, Kat. And if you're close enough to pee in it, you're too close." Cheetara assigned Snarf to watch the kittens and make sure they weren't anywhere near the water. Every time the shark came back and saw her it fled again.

The dock was really just a stone outcropping where the ferry let down a small bridge so passengers could board, but there seemed to be no one steering it. Lion-O looked at Panthro. "Is it supposed to be like this?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure." He raised his voice. "Hello? Anyone on there?"

Something came up from the water and Lion-O jerked. It wasn't a shark though; whatever it was, it was female and nude. Her arms looked like flippers much like the shark's had but her flesh was soft and slick, gray along her back and arms, tinging on creamy pink on her stomach, chest, and face, softly curved and wavering like the water. She had no hair and her pert nose had no nostrils; instead there was a small hole on the top of her head and it was unnerving to hear air enter and exit it.

"A dolphin?" Tygra said, surprised.

Cheetara wasn't sure whether she ought to hide the kittens' eyes or not; she'd never seen a marine being with breasts. Then again, dolphins were mammals and their babies drank milk, so she supposed it made sense. Neither kitten seemed to pay any attention so she shrugged and walked out to the dock, listening to the woman squeak and click at something. "Hello? Do you take people to Tropo?"

"We do." Her voice was soft and it was a relief to hear her speak Thunderan. However, when she looked at them her eyes narrowed. "Wait. A group of seven, a cheetah…you attacked one of ours!"

Cheetara blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Carcha. He told us you attacked him." Cheetara's eyes narrowed. The dolphin sounded hostile, teeth clicking.

"If you mean that shark that we drove off, then yeah. When he drags one of ours under the water, you better believeI'm going to beat the crap out of him." The woman's mouth pursed.

"Wait. He…?"

"Yeah. He grabbed my friend who was near the water and dragged him under." Cheetara glowered, spotting the shark peering out from the other side of the ferry. The dolphin's expression grew thunderous and she whisked away with a flick of her tail. A pitchy screeching started when she reached the shark and proceeded to chew him out. Cheetara looked at the others, all nonplussed.

Snarf flicked his tail with interest. "She's saying he's a liar and that he ought to be ashamed of his awful pranks. Also he's in big trouble." He scratched behind one large ear. "I get the feeling she looks after him."

When she swam back her eyes were cool, polished as black stones. "I apologize. It must have seemed very frightening to you what happened, but I assure you that you were never in danger. Carcha is a young one, and many of them play mean-spirited jokes on those in the cove. He would not have hurt you."

Cheetara bristled but kept her tone. "None of us could have known that. Especially when Lion-O is just learning to swim and he's dragged under." He seemed to be embarrassed by her words but Cheetara didn't really care at this point. Her indignation was satisfied when the woman shrieked and clicked and the shark sullenly lowered his head.

"Forgive me. He's joined the pod along with several other sharks very recently. We draw the ferry from Tropo to this coast and back for coins. They're spirited but harmless. Please place the blame on me. I didn't watch him well enough." She inclined her head. "My name is Tursi, if you must attach a name to a curse."

Cheetara sighed. She was so apologetic that her anger was leaving. "No, I guess…how old is he?"

"Thirteen." Cheetara looked at Lion-O, who knelt to be on a closer level with Tursi.

"It's all right. I just want him to know that he's very fortunate he wasn't hurt worse." The shark scowled as Tursi relayed this and he nosed his clawed fin. "Your people run this ferry?"

"Yes…when there's anyone who wants to pass. The state of the oceans has made travelers uneasy, and Tropo is a nervous place at the best of time." Tursi gestured toward it. "It has gotten worse over the past two years. Merchants used to flood to it and our ferry ran day and night and we had plenty of gold to trade for medicines and other things our sick needed. Now we run it once every five days. Even then there may be none. They hear the tales."

"What tales?" Kat stooped low and his sister crouched and leaned on his back. "Our parents came here about a year ago for a trading convention. They never came back."

Tursi fidgeted. "Many that came did not leave. At first we thought they simply settled in Tropo, as it's a massive city, spanning the entire peninsula. But beasts started appearing in the north, and some of us wonder…"

"'Beasts?' Like Mutants? Mutation users?" Tygra asked. She nodded.

"Our cousins speak of four-legged creatures roaming and devouring. Thundera and its lands in the west have few of them, for they avoid the water and do not cross the ocean. But Tropo is one of the few safe places from the beasts. Its attachment to the mainland is guarded well by a wall. Even so, there are rumors that the beasts came from Tropo and are still stemming from it."

"Why would they being turning people into Mutants and setting them loose?" Tygra asked, brows furrowed.

"That's just it. The tales say only some are set loose and the others…"

Tursi looked around as if fearing some Tropo official might be nearby. "Most of them are being sent north, chained as lower animals. Our kin have seen them marching from far distances toward the northern mountains and Lune."

Lion-O's face was unreadable. "An army. The strays distract from the main group and they follow them with trackers. Going to Lune…"

"Everything seems to trace there. Whoever's running this is gathering forces for something." Panthro crossed his arms. "Ah well. I guess we'll be in Tropo a little while. That's just as well."

Lion-O raised an eyebrow and Cheetara put her hands on her hips. "You really don't mind stopping for a while?"

"It sounds like this place is connected deeply to the Mutation center. If we can find out who the head honchos are and deal a blow here, it'll be a lot less Mutation to deal with as we head north. Besides, from what Tug-Mug and Red-Eye said, the woman in charge is concerned with what's going on at the King's Door. So…how much for passage?"

Tursi had not understood much of what they said, but her rates were fair and Cheetara gave her a small bag of coins. "It will take two hours to get to Tropo. You'll have to state your business there upon arrival." She paused before diving down and said, "One more thing. It might be best if you keep your suspicions about Mutation…quiet."

Lion-O frowned. "I thought it was illegal everywhere."

She nodded slightly. "'Illegal.' In law, yes." The look she gave made Cheetara uneasy. Lion-O seemed to understand her and bowed.

"Thank you for the warning. We'll be sure to keep our ears to the ground and our mouths shut."

Kit tugged his cloak. "We'll ask around for our parents though, right?" Her eyes were large and plaintive. Lion-O looked at the others, resting his hand on her head.

"I think we should just listen at first. It's very important that we don't make anyone suspicious at first. Think of it as being secret agents," he continued. "This isn't technically Thunderan land. They have their own governments. It's sort of like we're sneaking in to stop the bad guys."

Kit seemed uneasy but Kat looked intrigued. "Okay. Agents. Yeah. Don't worry sis, we'll listen really good and find stuff out."

"Certainly," Snarf said, hopping up to their shoulders. "I would be happy to sniff around and see what I can find. I wasn't a scout in the Snarf Tribe for nothing."

Her worry eased. "Okay. Thanks guys." She took Cheetara's hand as they boarded the ferry and the Thundertank rolled onto it with an easy shifting.

"We're going to need a story for why we're there," Lion-O said thoughtfully. The ferry bobbed forward and he saw for the first time metal cords leading into the water where the occasional flipper broke the surface. They propelled the ferry smoothly out, swimming as a pod, and keeping it from drifting off course. The distant city remained hazy for a while.

Cheetara stuck a claw absently between her teeth, thinking. "I classify as a merchant, and Tygra's dad Xiame is a noble in Dera's Run, so he oversees a lot of the trade. We could say we're there to check our suppliers and deal with them."

Tygra grinned wickedly. "Ooh, let's make this fun. Seriously, you can be the distraught merchant woman with four mouths to feed back home and you can heckle me for not being a proper noble and seeing that things are going properly, and you can insinuate I'm wasting all my time ditching my father's work and running around after pretty girls. I'll come back and say that you're just jealous because we were in a relationship and I dumped you. Two of the kids could be mine."

Cheetara held her head and glanced at Lion-O wearily. He had a hand to his mouth as if he were trying not to laugh as Tygra added lush details to the story. "Ever think of being in theater?" Panthro asked flatly. "You've got the dramatic personality."

"I've considered it. But my stage is the world." Tygra waved a flippant hand at the sea, and the cats plotted their entry to Tropo as the city drew closer and closer, steady as a heartbeat.

* * *

End of Episode 10


	11. Chapter 11

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 11**

 **Under Streets of Gold**

* * *

Lion-O would not have placed Cheetara as an actress, but in his humble opinion she did very well when they arrived at the dock.

She stood impatiently, rapping her claws on the rails and wore a slumpy cloak to hide her slenderness. Tygra stood as if unwilling to be there and exasperated. When a large leopard approached on the long dock where they'd gotten off the ferry, he eyed the Thundertank and said, "Business?"

Cheetara huffed. "I run a tavern in a town southwest of here, and I'm here to find out why the suppliers are increasing prices for continually poor goods." She spat the words, eyes flaming, and the man seemed to sigh as if he'd heard this many times.

"Very well. Do you have any papers to verify your travels?"

"No. Just the word of this ignorant child." She pointed at Tygra who looked convincingly embarrassed. "He's the son of the noble in charge of all merchant disputes in town, and I've been begging for help for months! His father finally decided to make him do some work for once!"

"Hey, come on, I do work." She scoffed.

"Oh, chasing tail is work now? By the way, your children ask about you every day!"

"I told you they're not mine! They'd have stripes if they were!"

"Two of them do have stripes! My mother warned me about young idiots like you, but I was too stupid to listen." She turned her imperious gaze on the guard, who looked unnerved.

"Look, I see this is a…sensitive issue. I just need names and reasons for being in the city and you'll be allowed right in." He didn't question any of the names – all false – and the positions – merchant, noble, hired bodyguards for Panthro and Lion-O, and apprentices for Kat and Kit – and even Snarf was allowed in without an issue when Kit hugged him and said softly, "He's my bestest friend." The guards didn't like Lion-O's blades but accepted that they were necessary for his job and allowed them without much protest.

The docks fed into the coast up to one great metal-wrought gate and the only unpleasant thing about getting in was that the Thundertank could not be brought. Panthro looked like he'd bitten into a fruit laced with poison but agreed to leave it on the ferry. "We'll take it further up the peninsula for your next job," Tursi called.

Lion-O had paid her extra to make sure the pod kept quiet about them and that the tank would be transferred safely to the nearest coast outside of the city of Tropo. It would be some time before they reached the northern edge of the city but Panthro had marked the place where it would be on a small map and bade it farewell after fetching their supplies from it.

Even he was distracted by the city once they entered it and the gates shut behind them. The docks had been long and sloped up, the city having been built higher on the land to prevent it from flooding every year. People milled by tall, fine buildings and the roads were set with stone and metal, very clean and flat. Fine clothing seemed to be the most common type and the smell of good food cooking made the kittens lift their noses. "Y'know, I wasn't expecting Tropo to be like this. I thought it'd be more like Rana Village."

Tygra kept Kat close, for he was showing signs of wanting to run off and explore. "The trade and goods and sea traffic have made Tropo very rich. So close to the docks would be one of the best places. There are probably poorer areas further in, but it's supposedly a good place to live. Provided you, ah, don't see anything you're not supposed to."

Cheetara was scanning the area with great interest. "You know, every merchant dreams of coming here at least once in their life. It's supposed to be one of the most diverse places in the world. Pity it's so dangerous right now." She sniffed. "Oh my gosh, I smell sugar frits."

Lion-O blinked. "Sugar what now?"

"You've never had sugar fritters? They're like the ultimate fair food. Little fried bits of dough with sugar on them." He shook his head and she sighed in frustration. "If we find a vendor I'll get you some. That's just wrong, not giving your kid sugar frits at least once in their life."

Panthro cleared his throat. "Childhood issues aside, where do we start?"

"Three teams worked all right last time," Tygra said, although Lion-O looked at the ground. "Panthro, you're our heaviest hitter, so I think you ought to stick with the kittens this time. As much as I enjoy my lucky charms, I think Snarf and I will make a good stealth team. Not to mention he'll be easy to carry."

Kit hugged Panthro's side and he muttered. Reading his expression Cheetara said, "I'll go with Lion-O, you go with the kids, and Tygra and Snarf can explore. We really need to stay close to each other though."

Lion-O's eyes scanned the road silently. "Okay. Again, meeting place is this area, by this tailor. For today we'll be listening, not interrogating. We need to figure out who is running the Mutation trade in this area and where they're stationed and if they're keeping people drugged around here. If we can do something about it we'll figure something out. If not, well…we'll work on that."

Neither kitten seemed to notice the look the adults shared. "Remember, ears open, mouths shut. Hammerhand won't be able to communicate with his superior but we don't need anyone else being hired to do us in."

"They wouldn't have been hired at all if we'd kept to ourselves." Panthro sounded weary and let Kit hold his hand. Kat held hers. "Girl, look after him and don't let him do anything crazy," he added pointedly to Cheetara.

When the group parted ways Cheetara took Lion-O's arm. "C'mon then."

Lion-O looked around as she tugged him along, pulling up his hood and slipping his goggles on to conceal his eyes. "What? Where are we going?"

"Vendors. As a merchant I've talked to enough people to know that they're never so happy as when they're full and drunk. Good info. And you really need to try some sugar frits." Lion-O did not see any good reason to protest – any start was as good as any other – and kept close to her. She was following her nose and seemed to be able to sense where the various smells were coming from. Lion-O didn't know how she did it but they inevitably stopped before a stand made of wood and brass colored nails, a pleasant little stall. A very handsome lizard manned it, jet black and scales shining as if wet. He was rolling balls of dough in his long fingers and tossing them into a bubbling pot, fishing them out afterwards and dusting them with sugar.

Cheetara greeted him and inquired of the prices. He perked up and accepted a silver and gave her a little package of the sweets, still piping hot. Lion-O was surprised. "I didn't know lizards liked sugary foods very much."

"These are based on a cake our ancestors made for celebrations, but when we discovered how much the others species liked them we altered the recipe." Cheetara thanked him and tried one.

"Hot, hot. Mm. Good." She took another sweet out of the bag and held it one inch from his mouth. "Open." She blew on it to cool it and he obeyed, biting neatly from the side.

Lion-O swallowed and finished it with another bite. "Wow. These are good." He took another and Cheetara grinned.

"Yep. I remember kids used to go crazy for these in Dera's Run when fairs came through. Tygra and I had a dare once that he couldn't eat fifty of these."

Lion-O snorted. "How'd that go?"

"I won. He managed to choke them down but he threw them back up, so it didn't count. Funnily enough he doesn't like them anymore. We were…gee, ten I think. Our parents disapproved of the bet, if you were wondering." She let him take the bag, satisfied as he nibbled at each piece to make it last longer. "Okay, business time. Let's mingle."

Lion-O's admiration for her grew as she transitioned from bright Cheetara to a silly blond girl with smiles flashed and a finger that curled in her long, light hair. She was not overtly flirtatious but as they encountered people she started idle conversations, asking them about the city and what it was like. Many gentlemen were very willing to engage her and Lion-O stayed close by, not sure if he liked that part so much.

One man deep in his tankard had red eyes and seemed to grow sad when he saw her. "I knew a girl like you once. A golden dog, the prettiest thing you'd ever like to see. I came here to see if I could find her but I've had no luck."

"That's too bad. Did she move away?" Cheetara asked innocently. He shrugged, pug nose running slightly.

"She came to the trader's convention; she was excited about that. Never did send another message after she arrived. Women are strange creatures. Like the ocean, always coming and going."

He took another drink and they moved on. Lion-O kept his ears tuned for conversations and kept very silent and moved slowly. Over a few hours this grew boring, but he and Cheetara talked quietly, which was pleasant. He ended up deciding sugar frits were probably the most delicious things he'd ever eaten and told her so. She seemed very pleased by this. Few others seemed happy in the area in light of the convention. The market had been flooded with goods because of the gathering and it was driving prices down. Grand for consumers, but not for the vendors.

"A man can't live on half a silver profit for woven cloth! And the seamstresses are trying to push it lower still!"

Cheetara, for some reason, decided that one area was particularly good for information and they tucked themselves into the shade of an overhang of one building, listening to everything.

"One week before the convention; think the contract will go through? I'm just glad we're in the tropics, I can't deal with those Luna."

"Another round tonight, Nfumu's going to kill again or I'm a mouse. Good money in that ring."

"Just a little more, that's right. Can't go home to the old lady sober or I'll never manage to sleep through her nagging."

"The supply chain southwest is drying up. Didn't you hear? Some group is causing trouble."

Lion-O took Cheetara by the wrist and she glanced at him; she'd heard. The man talking was a little black cat speaking to a silvery one, both short and thinly furred. Neither spoke of Mutation by name but they both knew what "group" had been causing trouble. "I had heard rumors. But surely one little gang couldn't take down all those agents."

"Oh no? Three of the best were downed by a few cats and a summoned legion of tiny creatures and the base was flooded. All the research was destroyed or stolen and we lost a major synthesizing factory. The Luna were taken into custody. Red says the head even hired Hammerhand to deal with them and he couldn't."

"The Terror of the Sea? Now I know you're pulling my tail. We'd have heard if Hammerhand couldn't cope with a challenge," the silver cat scoffed.

"Not with messages blocked. I heard from Whiska he's been taken in! He and his crew and his keep are done for! Their headquarters were destroyed! Who knows where they'll be now? Red's on edge, he's got Nfumu shedding blood every night. You know, trying to spread a little fear. If he didn't have brains he'd be such a useless coward…"

"Look, just don't be late. I'm courier for the evening and if everyone doesn't show up I'll be raked 'cross some coals." The silvery cat handed the black one a little scrap of paper and scurried off between two buildings.

As their first lead in hours neither cat was willing to let this go. "We need that paper," Cheetara whispered. "It might have a password on it or something."

"He'd notice if he lost it," Lion-O replied.

Cheetara absently shifted her hair so it fell becomingly over one shoulder. "Can you sneak it out of his pocket and back in if he's sufficiently distracted?"

He looked at the baggy breeches and said, "Tygra's been showing me some tricks so probably. Why?"

She whisked forward and tapped the cat on the shoulder. He turned around nervously and gave her a once over, looking shocked. "Hi," she said brightly. "I'm doing a survey about whether people in the area would be open to a dance club moving in. Could I get your opinion on a few questions?"

The man gave her another look and Lion-O noted that he looked crafty. "I don't see no clipboard, hon."

"Oh, I've got a real good memory." Cheetara tapped the side of her head and giggled. She was quite pretty; Lion-O had realized this long ago. She was athletic not buxom as most men might like, but she had an incredibly pretty face and her legs were quite shapely – he smacked himself. He slipped up behind the fellow as the cat crossed his arms. "So, dance clubs. There are never enough, y'know?"

"Well, there are a couple in the city, but I suppose another could hardly be an issue…" he said, eying her legs in particular. Lion-O's fingers were not as good for picking pockets as Tygra's deft motions but he managed to get the page out, open it and read the contents.

It read "Haus Scarlet. Fidgets." He memorized this and put the paper back, nodding at Cheetara. She asked a few more questions before saying, "Thank you so much! You were a really big help."

The cat gave her a crooked grin. "Showing appreciation is always a nice thing."

Her smile flickered and Lion-O – who had been backing up – turned around and purposely knocked the guy in the shoulder. "Wow, sorry, I'm a klutz," he said loudly. Cheetara skipped away and they regrouped on the other side of another building, one that sold books and magazines. "It said Haus Scarlet, and the word fidgets was beneath it. Nothing else."

"Thanks for that." She swept her hair back and tapped her foot. "So, Haus Scarlet. Sounds like a place. Fidgets would probably be the password. Some kind of meeting going down."

"We need to find the others. This could be exactly what we need." Lion-O and Cheetara returned to the tailor to wait and listen, unaware that at that very moment, Tygra and Snarf were making some rather dangerous discoveries of their own.

* * *

"I don't know how you do it. You have an absolute knack for sniffing out trouble." Snarf held tight to Tygra's shoulder, hoping their invisibility wouldn't fade out too quickly. Tygra seemed to be able to sense when it was, but it was still terribly unnerving to hang onto something he couldn't see.

"I've been around scoundrels trying to hide things all my life. Nobles are thieves with fancier names in many cases." Tygra rounded the building to find a door and when he did they dipped through in silence. "Really though, it's not that hard. A couple of guys trading Mutation, the trader reports back here…if this is where they store it we're really cooking."

Snarf shifted uneasily. "It's far too simple. It should be harder to find than this."

"It might be. I don't see anything." Tygra knelt in a corner of the building, apparently some kind of warehouse, and allowed himself to become visible in the shadows for a moment. It appeared to house many trinkets and pieces of junk, and there was no sign of Mutation.

Snarf sniffed and murmured, "I smell something." He hopped to the ground and prowled across the floor, nose twitching. A dilapidated chair was in his way and he pawed at it. "Near here. Tygra, it makes sense that Mutation would be stored near the docks, but they'd have to keep it hidden."

"You're right, but where-shoot, get back here!" Snarf whisked back to Tygra and with a crack of the whip they vanished again. A grubby cat entered the room and looked around furtively before heading to the chair and grabbing it.

The entire thing lifted up as a single piece, nailed to a trapdoor. Snarf blinked as the man entered it for a minute and then climbed out again, leaving the building without a word. Tygra let the invisibility fade and opened the trapdoor, testing its connection to the chair. "Impressive. Can't say I would have guessed that. Shall we?"

Snarf sighed. "Let me down first. I don't smell anyone." He dropped into the opening and looked around. "Clear. You'll want to see this."

Unlike the walls of the building above, these were lined with smooth stone and gold patterns. There were two carved wooden doors on either side of him and a hall stretched in one direction. Snarf cracked open the door and peered inside.

Vials of synthesized Mutation, glowing softly green, rested on metal racks and shelves from wall to wall. Tygra looked in the other one and whistled. Snarf scuttled over and peered inside.

Money. Lots of it. Gold coins were in perfect stacks, glass containers keeping them straight. This door wasn't locked either which struck Snarf as ludicrous. "Why don't they seal these shut?" he hissed.

"Anyone who knows where this place is must be in on the trade. And I get the feeling they're probably all terrified of betraying anyone."

Snarf looked up. "Or…they might have a camera that can spot anyone that tries to steal from them."

Tygra followed his gaze to the little monitor flashing from the dark corner of the hall. "Hm. Let's mosey along then."

"Aren't you worried?" Snarf asked, hurrying to his shoulder as they turned invisible.

"You think these dumb, lazy crooks watch these constantly if they don't even lock their doors? No way. Besides, as long as they have all their money and drugs accounted for, I bet they won't look back through the records." Tygra paused. "Still, let's keep our heads down."

"You're not giving me any confidence here. Do you think there might be more than one warehouse? How large do you think this place is?"

Tygra shrugged, which Snarf felt under his feet. "Only one way to find out. We'll go a little further and then backtrack."

"Be careful. You may be invisible but a canine species would be able to smell you." Snarf was quiet after this as the halls drew on. Every time a door came into view Tygra looked inside. It was generally a familiar green glow that met their eyes. "There's so much of it," Snarf muttered.

The smell of animal suddenly struck him and Snarf shook himself. "Tygra, it smells like a kennel. Or a pen."

"I think I'm getting a whiff of something." Tygra kept moving, slinking through the hall with a quick, smooth step. "And I hear what sounds like bars rattling."

They turned a corner and Tygra stopped. "Oh. Ghen."

It was a good thing they were invisible for there were several dust-colored jackals in the hall. These weren't what made Snarf's stomach curdle; the barred doors lining each side as far as he could see did. As did the clawed, animal paws clattering against them. Each one was larger than Snarf's head.

Tygra turned around and ghosted back the way they'd come, clambering out the exit, shutting it behind them. "Did you see what I saw?"

"Mutation-injected people locked in cages probably about to be sent north? And rooms full of Mutation that's probably going to be used to further this?"

"Yeah. That." Tygra was heading for the tailor shop again, Snarf shivering. "We need to get everyone together and tell them. There's no way of knowing how much Mutation is down there, or how many people they have. Do you think they would have held people a whole year?"

"Unlikely. I don't have any idea. I just want to get out of here." Snarf felt the sunlight on his back and held tight to one of Tygra's braids. "We leave one crisis to jump right into another one," he sighed.

"Yeah, but if this really is a Mutation hub like we've been hearing, just imagine how much destruction we'll cause these creeps if we take out their supplies here." Tygra had a dirty sort of grin and Snarf tilted his head in thought.

"…If we could get some kind of map or get into their number, perhaps. Let's just convene for right now." The sounds of the creatures in the barred rooms made him feel sick, and he tilted his head back to let the heat of the sun wash away the coldness.

* * *

When Lion-O and Cheetara returned, Tygra was already talking quietly to Panthro, whose right eye seemed a little twitchy. The reason seemed to be the kittens; each one held a hand and seemed to be circling around him, tugging Panthro's arms. Cheetara approached and Tygra looked up. "So what did you find out? We've got a place and possibly a password."

Snarf hopped to Lion-O's shoulder. "We've got a warehouse where they store money, Mutation, and people they've injected with the substance. Well, actually they're in tunnels beneath a warehouse full of garbage. There might be more entrances."

Lion-O blinked and Cheetara scratched Snarf under his chin. "Well, you guys were busy. The meeting is supposed to be at a place called the Haus Scarlet. Password is probably fidgets. It's not much, but we had to listen for hours to get that."

Tygra shrugged. "I saw a couple of guys trading Mutation and followed one. I think this operation must be pretty big, but we have no way of knowing how far it sprawls."

Kat was looking up at him. "If we can get to the people that have been given Mutation, maybe we'll find our parents." His voice was urgent and Kit's tail whisked as she pulled Panthro's wrist.

Lion-O cleared his throat. "Okay, back up. We have a meeting place and we know that the rumors about this place having Mutation are true. But we'll need to get deeper in if we're going to do something about it. The annual trade convention is coming up soon, and if they're planning on doing what they did last year, we need to make sure they fail. Right?"

Everyone nodded, even Panthro. "We've been peppering their trade with holes so far. Might as well give 'em a kick in the nuts while we can." Cheetara scowled at him, but neither kitten seemed to know what he meant judging by their blank expressions. "If it's a mess down here we might be able to get to the King's Door without running into any Mutants. It'd be a lot easier to fight enemies that don't have that kind of firepower." Panthro put his hands on his hips, unsuccessfully attempting to free himself from the kittens. "My question is, as Thunderan citizens, do we have the right to try any of this since Tropo doesn't fall under Thunderan jurisdiction?"

"Considering all the evidence we have for the trade being present in Thundera and the fact that Thunderans are among those being abducted – or so we think – I believe so. Besides, Mutation's illegal almost everywhere, and kidnapping definitely is," Tygra continued. "But we don't need these guys knowing what we're up to. If they find out who we are, we don't have a chance of getting out of the city."

"He's right." Cheetara held her chin. "What do we do then? We have to go to the meeting, but in disguise?"

Lion-O chewed his lip thoughtfully. "First let's find out where this Haus Scarlet is."

It didn't take long. The first few people they asked all laughed. "You must be new if you don't know where it is." They all pointed deeper into the city of Tropo and every time the cats followed the gestures.

"What kind of government does this city have?" Cheetara asked. "I see so many people that I can't imagine having one particular species in charge."

Tygra was the one to answer, looking at the buildings and admiring some of the nearest architecture. "There's a mayor in charge of each sector that complaints are taken to. If there's a city-wide issue these guys will convene to discuss it. There's no veto or head power, so no one breed has control. That's one reason this place is such a trade hub; species is less of a factor than almost anywhere else."

Cheetara blinked. "Well that's good."

"The downside is that without a head power, sometimes the mayors get deadlocked and can't get something done if they don't agree. And crime can run rampant while they debate." Tygra shrugged. "Liberty versus safety, the great dilemma."

Tropo was a grand mishmash of poverty and riches further in. Tiny shops sat beside sprawling markets and elderly cats and lizards toted carts of trinkets to sell past them. There was no shortage of things to buy and everyone rubbed elbows with everyone else. Cheetara paused to help a little girl who was trying to scoop up some wooden toys and put them in a basket. She was no older than six and had a piece of her tail missing. Some kind of jackal, she looked dusty and forlorn. "Mama sells the toys Papa makes. He can't bring them to her because he lost his leg to Nfumu."

"This Nfumu's name has been popping up," Panthro muttered. Cheetara gave the girl a little silver. She knew she couldn't dole out to every sad story she heard, but the poor little thing moved her heart.

"Can you tell us if we're near the Haus Scarlet, hon? It's important we get there quickly." The girl gave her a strange look and pointed.

"It's right there. It's got all the red curtains and banners and smells like perfume." Cheetara saw the building from two blocks away, red cloths waving in the breeze.

"Thank you. Can you tell me anything about it?"

The girl had started running with the wagon trundling along behind her but paused and said, "It's the biggest whorehouse in Tropo. Mama won't let me near it."

Cheetara stared after her as she scurried off, mouth hanging open. "Did…she just say 'whorehouse?'"

Kat and Kit looked at each other. "What's a who-?"

"Nothing you two need to know about," Lion-O said shortly. Panthro, on the other hand, grunted.

"You know why there was a curfew in Rana Village? All those women and what they were doing?"

The kittens nodded. "They threw wild parties or something. But not for kids, just grownups. They didn't have candy or games or nothing."

"Something like that. The proper word is a brothel, and that's what it is. Only they can do that stuff all day in there." Both kittens' expressions cleared. "Sounds like the kind of place that would attract scoundrels."

Lion-O watched the banners fly, eyes tracing along the roses and red blossoms that grew along the sides of the building. It was antiquated, vaguely romantic, and he looked at Cheetara. "Well, how are we doing this? Anyone have any ideas?"

Cheetara prodded Tygra. "You ever been in one of these places?"

He looked thoughtful. "Only when the building owners had some business to discuss with Dad. Never been a patron. But the kittens ought not come in for obvious reasons." Neither kitten protested, shrugging and giving it up for grownup nonsense.

Lion-O unshouldered his pack – they were each carrying a pack of supplies since the Thundertank had been removed from the area – and opened it, rifling through the items within. "Panthro, you stay with the kittens."

"Say what?" Panthro sounded indignant but Lion-O just gave him a cool look.

"Panthro, if we get captured we'll need you to bust us out. And the kittens need someone to look after them. And…you hate this sort of scene more than anyone. I'd rather you do something on the outside. Observation maybe. Take care of the supplies."

Panthro's expression became even. "Fine. I'll babysit. Don't get killed."

"Panthro, you know that's not what I-"

But something seemed to have set the panther off, for he gestured to the kittens who followed with whispers and glances toward the Haus Scarlet. Lion-O bit his lip. Tygra shifted and said, "Okay then. Weird. I assume you had an idea before Panthro marched off?"

"Yeah. We disguise ourselves and pretend to be fellow traders." Lion-O said nothing about Panthro and felt Cheetara's eyes on him as he pulled something out of his pack. The twin blades clinked and he strapped them to his back, tucking the Sword of Omens within his cloak securely. What he held in his hands made Snarf cock his head.

"A mask?" Lion-O fingered the edge of the object, a half-mask that covered the nose and upper face, and protected the forehead. It was brass-colored and fringed with red fur. It was styled faintly in a tribal tradition, and when he placed it on his face he smelled the faint remnant of the oil used to clean it before.

"If I make up a story, go along with it, okay? Snarf, stick with Tygra in case we need scouts." Lion-O pulled up his hood and looked around with a calculating glint in his eye. "We need to blend in here better."

It was with some difficulty that Cheetara agreed to unbind her hair, for in Tropo many seemed to walk with their tresses hanging loose; Tygra pointed out that it marked her as a Thunderan woman. He didn't take his hair down, rather choosing to don a hood and one of Lion-O's short cloaks. Snarf climbed under it and hung expertly from Tygra's belt, concealing himself. Cheetara took the last cloak and pulled it over her loose hair. "Hopefully they won't have pictures of the people causing problems with the Mutation trade," Lion-O muttered. "Let me handle any talking. Act like hired mercenaries and look like you don't care about where you are."

With that he turned and led the way into the brothel and the smell of roses was nearly overwhelming.

* * *

There was nothing in the scriptures that required a woman to bind her hair – Cheetara only braided the end of it to keep it neat – but culture dictated that everyone with hair of longer length wear some form of hair tie. It was just a norm. And to not be wearing any at all made her feel naked. It was almost worse than the fact that she was standing in a den of prostitution.

Many species of women sauntered by, hips and breasts barely adorned with silks and brocade. Jewels dripped from their ears and throats and not one of them was frowning. Each mouth crooked with makeup and something that made her think of sharp glass. The whole place was heady and made her wish she was somewhere else. A temple perhaps, sober and clear.

Lion-O's mask unnerved her. She had seen the glint of brass in the Thundertank before but he'd never worn it, and it was a curious thing to look it. It reminded her of a beast's face and she found she disliked the two shards of pale metal that jutted down over his cheeks like long fangs. It seemed familiar though. Cheetara wondered if she'd seen it in a picture.

Lion-O had removed the goggles he wore around his neck and somehow he seemed stripped of the sweet, slightly awkward way he usually lingered on the edge of crowds. This Lion-O delved between people without a problem.

In this room his mask wasn't so strange as she had expected. Between poor peddlers and their filthy rags and the stark finery of several nobles, a mask was hardly the weirdest thing she saw. One man was completely naked but for a literal rag and she blinked, taking in the décor instead. He wasn't having any luck with the women. Fine chandeliers of crystal hung from the ceiling and the carpets were hand woven pieces in red and burgundy. A great staircase led up the floors and it was trimmed in gold and pearl.

"Hello sir. Welcome to the Haus Scarlet. We're going to be closing for a private showing this evening." A beautiful feline had appeared, jet black from head to toe and her fur was thick and shining. Her clothes were pale blue and scant, and Cheetara felt a little awkward standing beside her as she coiled her arms around Lion-O's shoulder. "Unless of course, you're another invited guest." She smiled with her even white teeth and spared a lusty wink for Tygra as well. Cheetara may as well have been an armchair.

Lion-O seemed indifferent. "We are. We were sent for earlier today."

Those long lashes lowered and Cheetara noted with disgust that the woman's earrings were made of butterfly wings. "Then you must know the word?"

"Fidgets." Lion-O spoke without interest and the woman suddenly shifted, businesslike.

"Very well. Please remain here with the others until the regular patrons are dismissed." The coy note had lessened and her pretty face was cunning. Greedy. "These are with you?"

"Mercenary assistants." Lion-O shrugged out of her loose grip and dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

The move was so practiced that Cheetara had to eye him. This was a cold, debonair cat, not their sweet, humble Lion-O who blushed at attention from harlots. Perhaps he had a flair for drama as well. They managed to reach an alcove where lovers were usually tucked away and appropriated one of the cushy sofas beneath the curtains. "We're in for now," Lion-O muttered.

"Yep. The brothel must be in on the whole thing if they're willing to cut business short. I just hope they don't have a list of names," Tygra said.

Cheetara crossed her arms. "I hate this place. Why would anyone visit this kind of establishment?" She pointedly looked away from every woman that approached, most of whom just skirted close to wink at her male companions.

One in particular seemed to take a fancy to the boys. "Your girl looks like she knows her way around weapons. I know my way around other things." Cheetara twitched and the girl grinned wickedly. "Come find me after the meeting if you're interested."

Tygra shook his head politely. Lion-O didn't even look at her, the angle of his jaw as apathetic as ice. Not once did he mess with the red fur on his tail, which Cheetara had noticed was a habit of his. Peculiar.

At last the room seemed to empty of extraneous patrons. Many of the remaining ones looked nervous or eager, and when a woman clapped her hands for attention every ear perked. "Welcome. Please follow me for the meeting friends. It's important everyone pay attention tonight, for the rumors are true; just when the next convention comes our Mutation supplies are running low. Red will explain our next movements and then we'll have some underground entertainment as Nfumu shows us his talents in battle. Hurry now."

Rather than heading up the stairs the woman brushed her hand against the wall and it depressed slightly. The staircase suddenly lowered, tilting so the higher end dropped into a seamless passage. Cheetara's heart thumped hard at the sight of it and nodded slightly at Tygra; he'd spoken of an underground tunnel and it would seem that the meeting would take place down below. Everyone began to mill toward the opening and Lion-O stood up, Tygra and Cheetara following in his wake.

"There are at least a hundred people," Tygra muttered. "We won't be able to fight our way out if something happens."

Cheetara didn't like to agree, but she had to admit that some of these were armed and looked like they could use weaponry. She disliked it when they descended the stairs and the flow cramped into a tight group in a hall but the smell of perfume faded and she relished it. Neat, smooth walls on either side directed the mass and when they turned a corner they entered something of an antechamber. It was large and round and in the center there seemed to be a great square pit carved into the stone. Cheetara dared to look into it and spotted blood.

Some kind of arena? She kept her eyes open and wary as they found a place on the edge of the room. A platform currently rested over the pit, held up by silver bars. It was on this that a red-orange jackal stood.

He didn't look very imposing. A little on the weedy side he had short claws and his clothing was fine, pale colors and leather. His hair was short and slicked back as if he wanted to appear suave but Cheetara got the mental image of a greasy little rat as his short nose twitched. He had beady yellow eyes that tracked every person as they moved, flicking back and forth.

Most disturbingly there was someone sitting on the raised platform with him. They seemed to be feline and their hands were bound behind their back and a bag was over their head, concealing their face. Cheetara looked at Lion-O whose cold façade dropped for just a second as he returned her glance uncertainly.

"Welcome everyone. I trust you're all well?" The jackal's voice was high and nasally, wheedling. Cheetara resisted the urge to hold her ears. "Let's just cut to the chase, ladies and gentlemen. The approaching merchant convention will be an incredible opportunity to repeat our success from last year. We currently have eight hundred beasts to send north held in the pens, and if we play our cards right we'll have ten thousand more to add to the number."

The people murmured at this. Cheetara went cold and heard Tygra curse under his breath. Ten thousand people? Mutated? How? "It's important we do this quietly. And no higher merchants; their disappearances would be noted. Just the lowly stall vendors, the laborers. You all know about the interrogations started last year. It took a great deal of gold to hush up the investigators." The jackal – most likely Red – wrinkled his nose in distaste. "We already have guards scouring the area, poisoning the freedom of Tropo. Many of them are Thunderan detachments looking after feline merchants."

The crowd jeered and hissed. Red put a hand atop the head of the captive cat. "And in some cases, merchants from the north are coming down to oversee things themselves. Obviously, this is causing trouble already. We cannot afford mishaps this year; it will be our last opportunity for such great numbers."

He pulled the sack off and the cat gasped, looking sweaty and wilted. Cheetara clapped a hand to her mouth and Tygra grabbed Lion-O's shoulder.

"That's Mi-Ao! He works in Icla near my mother! What is he doing here?" he hissed, so softly that Cheetara could only hear half of it. Lion-O shot him a look and murmured something in reply. Tygra didn't relax, fur bristling slightly. Everyone was too busy crowing to pay any mind.

Mi-Ao looked thin, fur dustier than she remembered and more gray speckled the fur around his chops. She hadn't spoken to him personally, only seen his picture in messengers to her parents, but there was something determined in the set of his brow. "So Lune and Tropo are both putting out Mutation? No wonder Icla's being swarmed lately. Do you know how many snow leopards and wolves have been arrested and their lives destroyed? All because of your filthy drug?"

Red patted his head and Mi-Ao tried to bite him. "I have to admit, I was surprised to hear you'd come down to Tropo yourself Mi-Ao. The land should have been quite…treacherous."

"After I've lost so many good men to your vile killers? You don't know me very well. I took a ship and the ocean led me right into your hive of devilry." Mi-Ao looked around at the glittering, dark-eyed horde. "What if these were your wives or husbands? Your pups and cubs and parents? Think about what you're doing! Something evil is happening, and you're just letting it-!"

Red smacked him, hard. Mi-Ao fell onto the platform and it took him a second to get back up with his wrists tied. His cheek was bright red and his lip had started to bleed. "Well, unfortunately, we can't have you telling anyone about what you've found. So your wife will be a widow my friend. I'd mutate you myself, but without a body there'll be too many questions and too much searching."

Cheetara's fingers went for her staff and she only stopped with difficulty. Mi-Ao looked up at the jackal from his knees. "They'll know I was killed. Suspicions will rise."

"Not when we plant a suicide note on your body in the inn where you've been staying. But it was a nice try." Red looked at the crowd and held out a hand. Someone tossed him a knife and he continued, "We'll inventory everyone's gold they've received for Mutation after this. You'll receive detailed instructions on where you need to be when we make our move."

Cheetara grabbed Lion-O's arm. "We have to do something!"

Tygra's face twitched with rage. "What can we do? They'll slaughter us all if they find out we don't belong. Ghen, Mi-Ao…!"

His hand was fixed on the handle of his whip. "Maybe I can turn invisible…and…something…"

"What a waste of resources. Is this the feared Mutation trade I've heard so much about?"

A refined, calm voice rose above the din and Red paused. The knife rested at Mi-Ao's throat and the cat's eyes were wide, breathing fast. Cheetara looked around. Who had-?

Lion-O suddenly stepped forward, mask shining under the light falling over the platform. "Why not use him instead? He could be a valuable asset."

Red's eyes were like frozen tree sap. "In what way?"

"If investigators do find out about what's going on, you can offer to trade a hostage in place of gold." Lion-O gestured to Mi-Ao, arm sweeping indifferently. "You can haggle about the details with them while these men complete their errands and jobs, and when the convention is over just kill him. It'll buy you time and save your money. This is going to be the last time Tropo will be safe for this kind of project."

A few people began to whisper and Cheetara dared not breathe. Red cocked his head.

"You're not one of us. How did you get in here?"

"I've been interested in joining the trade for a while now. It's spread even to the west and I find it fascinating." Lion-O stepped toward Red and offered a hand. "You're Red, the Alliance general and head trader of Tropo if I'm not mistaken."

"You interrupt our meeting and put our entire operation in jeopardy…who exactly do you think you are?" Red asked softly. The knife moved from Mi-Ao's throat and the cat visibly began to sweat with relief.

"I have many names. The one that seems to be most renowned is the Fangs of the West."

Utter silence fell. Tygra looked at Cheetara and dared not speak until the crowd breathed again. "Of all the things to bluff about," he mouthed. "They'll see right through him!"

Cheetara looked at the new prowl in Lion-O's body and the calculating grace with which he moved. She had seen that mask before she realized; it was an Imperial City style, which was where tournaments of combat were held. Not to the death, of course. She'd never really followed the tournaments, but one name kept popping up as a champion for the past three years. A swordsman who took particular care never to speak, one that was never seen out and about after the battles at the celebrations. He never removed the mask and he always fought with two swords. Their Lion-O was talented, certainly, but…

As she watched him Cheetara finally whispered, "I don't think he's bluffing."

Tygra's expression was a confused one that slowly grew wary. Red snorted. "The Fangs of the West? The fighter of the Imperial City that has won the past three combat tournaments? And what would you be doing here?"

"As I said, wanting to get in on this trade." Lion-O sounded bored and Cheetara watched his tail. None of his nervous habits were present.

"Even if I believed you, a fighter in a tournament is hardly the kind of person we need around here. Scrupulous fighting is stressed in the Imperial City, whereas we value…practicality." Red seemed to think of something and turned. "On the other hand, Nfumu?"

The crowd parted for a large shape and Cheetara felt a little weak when she saw the figure. They'd fought Slithe and Red-Eye, Gyp and Tug-Mug, but this being was larger than any of them. He was a white ape, dusted with brown on his hairless face and finely furred stomach. He wore a leather loincloth and a dingy helmet and no other clothing. There was, however, a necklace around his throat and several bracelets on his wrists. He had a great mace on his back as long as Lion-O was tall, and he stood three feet higher than the cat. "My friend here has faced the Fangs of the West before. I believe it was shortly before the city guards attempted to arrest him for murdering eight nobles for their white teeth."

The ape lowered his head and sniffed. Lion-O's hair ruffled in the breeze. "He has the same smell. He stands the same height. He might be the Fangs."

"Nfumu. You were a skilled opponent," Lion-O said softly. "It's a pity you tried to cheat by pretending your leg was cut. You almost took my head off."

The sallow eyes narrowed. "But you still won. If we battled elsewhere I would have won by ripping your throat out and taking your teeth for my collection." He gestured to his necklace and what Cheetara had taken for white beads clicked. She felt a little sick to realize they were all teeth. Pointy ones. Most of them were bright as pearls.

Tygra shook his head. "Lunatics."

"I suppose we could put you on a trial run as a fellow trader if you could defeat Nfumu in battle. It would prove you are who you claim at least." Red sounded jovial, as if he knew Nfumu would win. Lion-O did not look away from the ape.

"If I do win you'd be a fool to deny me what I want, for I'd prove myself dangerous. And if I lose I'm sure Nfumu will kill me, so you'd be rid of me. I suppose I must accept."

Cheetara resolved to kick Lion-O in the butt the next time she got the opportunity. And she kept her staff ready; if this Nfumu was as strong as he looked and as foul as he seemed, she would be ready to intervene and make a break for it afterward. Assuming they could get out of the pit, and they weren't decapitated-

Mi-Ao was shifted out of the way – for Red grudgingly admitted that having a hostage on hand would be a good idea, and he didn't want to irritate the Fangs if he really did happen to win – and the platform slid back. People were suddenly placing bets and Cheetara was disgusted to hear that this was a common occurrence for those who wanted to leave the Mutation ring or just irritated Red. They would be pitted against Nfumu, who wasn't happy unless he killed someone every twenty-four hours.

The pit was bare of handholds or cracks, perfectly carved into the ground. Even Nfumu could not climb out on his own; onlookers were quite safe as they clustered around the edges like hungry rodents around a farmer's basket. The bloodstains had soaked into the stone and darkened to mahogany.

Lion-O climbed in without a word and Nfumu followed with ease, climbing being second nature to an ape. "To the death," Nfumu said.

For the first time Lion-O shifted. "If you must, try to kill me. I'll spare you if at all possible."

Nfumu's eyes narrowed. "This will not end like the tournament." His last word brushed forward with his mace, drawn from its strap like breath. Lion-O's blades crossed to meet it and the place erupted in cheers.

"Rip his head off!"

"I bet on the Fangs, I like an underdog!"

"Make him squeal before you gut him!"

Cheetara would have wanted to hurl the spectators into the path of the mace and blades but her heart was racing. Nfumu was not only strong, he was good. His fighting style was unfamiliar but the rhythm in it was savage, ready to crush Lion-O if he relented. He went for the ankles, the sides, any place he could inflict crippling damage. Lion-O just kept blocking and dancing around, small and quick enough to duck away from the weight of the mace. He seemed unconcerned with the spikes flying within inches of his face. He knew dirty fighting even if he didn't use it.

Or at least, the Fangs of the West did. Their Lion-O seemed suddenly far away from this fighter.

"Tygra?" Cheetara whispered without tearing her eyes from the battle. "You followed the tournaments of the Imperial City, right?"

"A little." He didn't look at her, neck rigid.

"What do you know about the match between the Fangs and Nfumu?"

"That it was the one the Fangs nearly lost. It was his first championship, and Nfumu was a guest fighter from a forest clan of apes. If Nfumu wasn't so good he wouldn't have been tolerated as long as he was; he was a terror to the other fighters. The Fangs of the West took him down and they say that Nfumu never fought in a tournament again. And he was supposed to be arrested afterward. He killed three guards and eight nobles and left. Some people thought the loss drove him to kill himself because he vanished, defeated by a fifteen-year-old swordsman. Apparently it didn't."

"And the Fangs returned?"

"Every year. He's never pulled a low move in all three years he's been fighting, and he's never removed that mask. And he's never said a word or attending the championship celebrations. They have the trophies displayed in the arena because he never comes to get them." Tygra followed Lion-O's motions like he was watching a clock. The tension was so thick Cheetara felt bile rising; she could almost tolerate Lion-O getting hurt if it made this dancing stop – no, no, what was she thinking? Lion-O had to win this because this man would kill him in a second-

The blades sang and Nfumu had to back up. A long, thin cut along his arm began to seep red and Lion-O twirled the blades neatly. Red watched with an impassive face and Nfumu's eyes were like glass. Lion-O sighed. "You fight as well as ever. But you've not progressed very far. You keep charging in, looking for ways to undermine your opponent instead of facing me."

Lion-O ducked the mace, tail coiling in focus as each blow rained down and missed him. "You're so focused on trying to kill that you forget how to duel. A battle requires some decency otherwise it's not a test of skill. Just who's more perverse when it comes to killing. And a perverse man is shockingly easy to predict."

He was so calm. So disappointed. So bored. Cheetara had never heard him talk like that and her shoulder blades edged together in discomfort. Nfumu's face contorted and she realized he was growing winded. They'd been fighting for nearly twenty minutes – time had positively sprinted by. But that wasn't what was making him angry.

Lion-O wasn't engaging him actively. Sure he was getting little nicks and scratches in, but he wasn't trying to delve in and end this. He was wearing Nfumu down, for the ape had much more weight to carry and the mace was starting to lag. Lion-O didn't want to kill him; he wanted to disarm him and defeat him. And so it was a game of wearing him down.

"He should try to kill him. This guy…he's a brute. You can see it in his eyes." Tygra's tail was low. "Nfumu's too good to let him go. If Lion-O tried hard now he could end this for good."

Cheetara glanced at him. "You're probably right. But I don't think Lion-O wants to kill anyone."

Tygra crossed his arms. Their nerves were fading bit by bit. Lion-O had the situation under control. "A murderer who works for a Mutation ring? One that's trying to kill him? Seems like he'd be able to live with it."

"You could, and I probably could too. But Lion-O…"

She thought of Masti and Araknay and wondered at how much Lion-O still blamed himself for their deaths. Even a wicked person's life was worth something, she supposed, and the value wasn't something Lion-O wanted to tear to pieces.

But Nfumu was evil. Cheetara felt sure that he would have to die eventually. Lion-O's balking had cost Masti his life, and she prayed that he would come to terms with what he had to do.

A loud clang echoed through the chamber and a hush fell again, thick as snow. Nfumu, the brutal killer and Red's right hand man, had been disarmed. His mace lay several feet away and he was clutching his shin. Fresh blood welled in a long scratch on it and he was panting, tongue lolling between his sharp teeth.

Lion-O's blades were still out, one dripping, and he seemed to consider the sight before him. Before he could make any sort of decision Red clapped. "Very nicely done, Fangs of the West. You've won, it's plain to see."

The lion lowered his swords and wiped the bloody one with the hem of his shirt before sheathing them. Ropes were lowered into the pit for him and Nfumu, who remained on the floor until Lion-O had climbed out, the triumphant victor. Nfumu's face was blank, inscrutable, and Cheetara got the feeling he would have torn Lion-O to pieces if not for his injuries.

"You've shown you have skill. Loyalty is a harder thing to prove though. You'll have to be placed on a trial run to see how you do as a trader. Still, with that kind of swordsmanship…"

Red seemed eager and nervous all at once. "Well, we'll see. Someone bandage Nfumu while I discuss a few matters with our newest trainee."

Some were heartily disappointed by Nfumu's loss but others were ecstatic to see new blood in the group. "That big lout's killing spree is stopped. Might finally see some good battles in the underground now instead of a butcher shop."

Cheetara watched Red and noticed that he was unwilling to stand too close to Lion-O. Nfumu watched the cat as he was led away without blinking. Anyone who could best Nfumu was given a wide berth. "My mercenaries are to follow me," he said lazily.

Red scowled. "That's hardly-"

"Unless you'd prefer to tell them they can't?" Lion-O added. Cheetara and Tygra both looked at the jackal and Cheetara kept her face clear. Truly frightening people didn't make mean faces. They just looked and that was enough.

Red muttered something under his breath and let them follow as he led Lion-O down one of the halls, the crowd whispering as they went. "Just go get your orders from the overseers," Red called. Two armored jackals followed him. Bodyguards.

Then a metal slid shut behind the six and it was very quiet. Lion-O sighed. "Don't misunderstand me. I have no desire to take over. Just to get in on the excitement. You've no cause to fear me, Red."

"That's all well and good. As if I fear anyone." All the same Red's hackles lowered noticeably. "I hope you understand what a pickle you've put me in. If you could find this place I'll need to move it."

"We're experts at finding such things."

Cheetara felt Tygra move his elbow and dared to look. Her heart jumped; Snarf had poked his head out a fraction and was sniffing the air. She'd forgotten he'd come along. Tygra paused in his step long enough to allow Snarf to jump down and scurry off down another tunnel. Her throat clenched; be safe, she thought.

Red didn't notice. "As a new member, you'll have some limitations on what you can do. And we'll chip you so we can follow your positions."

Lion-O didn't falter. "To make sure I don't go near guards or attempt to skip the city."

"Naturally. Everyone has a chip in them though, so it's nothing to worry about. Oh…and you should know that even perceived betrayal is met with instant death. Our agents are everywhere and even the legendary Fangs of the West can be downed by a well-placed bit of poison." Red stopped at another door and ushered them in. Cheetara felt the room was too small and forced herself to sit down without flinching. It was filled with a table, a few sacks in the corner, and a shining machine that looked unnervingly like a gun.

Red picked up the machine and it clicked. "Left arm please." Lion-O put his arm on the table and with a pop and a little blood the chip was in. It looked the same as the chip that had been in Talbot's hide, a bump beneath the skin, and Cheetara's eyes flitted to meet Tygra's; those chips would be out as soon as they were out of the tunnels. They allowed themselves to be chipped as well and when that was done Red took one of the sacks and dragged it close. "It takes a surgeon's skill to remove those without bleeding out. Just so you know."

Tygra didn't smile but Cheetara noticed his tail curling.

"As you heard as you listened to classified information," Red began pointedly, "it is the yearly merchant convention that is going to be our best bet to send more mutated people north. We did the same thing last year on a smaller scale. I'll risk nothing interfering with that, so you'll be an observer for this. After it's over you carry Mutation to the different cities, both inside and outside Thundera. We've had trouble with a few of our routes, but you should be able to handle a few disgruntled citizens. This is our main stockpile that we trade from; most of our agents come here to retrieve supplies. You're compensated based on how much you use successfully to infect the populace and send north."

"I understand." Lion-O's willingness seemed to be calming Red very much, who arched an eyebrow.

"It strikes me as strange that an Imperial fighter would come here for such a purpose." The jackal leaned back in his chair and Lion-O shrugged.

"I fought in Imperial tournaments. That hardly makes me a patrot. I enjoyed the fighting but grew bored after a time. I heard there was excitement in this trade, and I was curious. It seems to me sensible to get involved in something that has spread so far across the world that could be lucrative." The lion nursed the spot where the chip had gone in. "Mutation is imported to Tropo?"

Red didn't seem to want to reply but the hilts of Lion-O's blades seem to wait. "Yes. We keep it here, under guard and heavy security."

"Along with the mutated merchants?"

"Until we send them north. We do so in the dead of night, and through tunnels that reach further toward the mountains." Red linked his fingers. "We'll see about involving you in delivering shipments when this is over. You won't be leaving the tunnels until then."

Cheetara bristled and Lion-O frowned. "I see. Precautions, eh?"

"But of course." Red gave them a nasty smile. "You'll have your run of the place though. You can assist with inventory, feeding prisoners and the mutated…"

"Very well. I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell us about how the merchants will be injected at the convention? Considering there will be thousands of people and only a little time."

Red shook his head. "That's a trade secret. You'll find out."

Lion-O got up. "All right. We'll take a look around if you don't mind. Anywhere we should avoid?"

"Hardly. We'll have our eyes on you, so feel free to gallivant wherever you please." Red opened the bag and pulled his hand back out with a glowing green vial clenched in his fingers. "Just don't get in anyone's way."

Lion-O inclined his head and they left the room. Once the door was shut and they'd walked from earshot, Tygra spat. "Ghen. Now what?"

"This isn't bad. We'll figure out a way to communicate with Panthro and the kittens. As long as they don't have microphones around." Lion-O looked up, mask still snugly in place. Cheetara noticed he seemed to shaking faintly; perhaps the battle had worn him out. She forced herself not to touch his back. His shivering did not stop for a while.

A camera was in the nearest hall corner and Tygra shook his head.

"No, those don't come with audio sensors. Just keep an eye out for nosy folks. Where do you think they took Mi-Ao?"

Cheetara shook her head. "I don't know, but I know how we could find out."

It took nearly an hour to find out where food was prepared and another ten minutes to get the job of feeding everyone. The tired-looking wolf making food – she supposed it was food – was irritable. "You don't know your way around? What, I gotta draw a map for you?"

Tygra shrugged. "You're being rude to the Fangs? Man you're brave."

The wolf became much more compliant upon hearing this. She also roughed out the path they were supposed to take on some scrap paper. "We've got a few prisoners yet to be mutated, and that hostage here. But feed the beasts along this route first, they haven't been fed in…oh, four days? I lose track."

A hug pan of something like kibble mixed with raw meat was placed on a cart for them and metal trays of food were placed directly beside it. The pan tended to slosh and Cheetara flinched at how unsanitary this was. Entrails were going to fall on the cooked food. "Keep your hands clear when you feed 'em. They'll take a finger if they can."

Nobody gave Tygra or Cheetara a second look but many whispered when Lion-O passed, pushing the cart. "A warrior like that pushing food trays? Red's not as big a coward as I thought," one whispered.

Lion-O never took his mask off and Cheetara made sure her hood was in place. "I guess they never saw pictures," she said after a while. "Of us I mean."

"Yeah. That's good luck. Hopefully Snarf will keep out of trouble and find something good. Imagine if we could destroy these tunnels…it would take years to rebuild. Everyone on the planet would be safer," Tygra noted.

Cheetara took the trays of food off the cart and wrinkled her nose. "That's just filthy. Raw meat beside prepared food? No way. Papa would keel over." Lion-O smiled faintly at this. His smile faded when they rounded the corner into the next hall.

"There they are," Tygra said grimly. Bars stretched as far as they could see forward on either side, and the creatures behind them began screaming and baying with the scent of food so close. Twisted cats and massive wolves, all on four legs and slavering, threw their heavy bodies against the bars. Lizards skulked beneath them, slightly shorter and slippery. Cheetara nearly dropped the trays but tightened her grip almost too much, fingers aching. The legs and bodies seemed to form a great mass, heaving with breath.

"This is horrible." Her voice was soft and silly in that din, and looking back it was such a papery statement – flimsy and obvious and worthless – that Cheetara was glad nobody ever replied.

Lion-O's "Fangs" façade had slipped and his lips pursed like a small child's. "…At least we can feed them. If we can shut this operation down we can get antimutagen, even a little at a time." He pushed the cart forward and looked around. "There's a dish here, installed in the bars." Indeed there was, a rusty and filthy bowl big enough for any of them to bathe in. There were hinges on the side and with some work Lion-O managed to find a crank. There was an opening the bowl blocked and it slid out with many squeaks of protest, stopping before it fell completely out and opened the gap. "I see. We fill it and slide it back in so they can get to it. Nobody has to go in."

"Even to clean up their feces?" Tygra shook his head, eyes bright. "This is just sick. How are we ever going to get these people cured and out of here? We can't destroy the place until they're somewhere safe."

"It would have to be somewhere they couldn't get to anyone before they were cured," Lion-O replied. The two boys began to tilt the pan, grunting as they lifted it and rested the edge over the bowl. The animals began to scream with hunger. Cheetara hurried to the edge and pushed it up to tilt the slimy concoction into the bowl. Once they'd poured out all they could, they put the empty container down and Lion-O cranked the lever the other way.

It was madness. The animals went for the food as if starving and tore at their fellows to get close. Lion-O looked ill. "They're not supposed to eat like this when Mutation is in them. That's why they're always hungry after they're returned to normal with antimutagen."

"We've never tested how they respond to fresh blood," Tygra said. "Not to mention they've probably been this way for months and months. Even with all those chemicals pumping, the brain realizes the body's starving."

Cheetara turned to the other side, staring at the whining, howling creatures on that side. "Poor things. She said they've been fed but…"

Lion-O touched her shoulder. "We can't linger. They'll think something's up. And then we won't be able to help at all."

Cheetara nodded briskly. "You're right. Come on, we need to deliver the rest of this." She picked up the trays she'd set carefully on the ground and put them back on the cart, rubbing her arms. "Heavy."

The first cell door they came to had a flap in the bottom that could be unlatched from the outside so a tray could slide in. Tygra knocked and said, "Feeding time. Stand back."

Cheetara wanted to give the prisoner their food so she took the top tray and put it on the ground, sliding it carefully through. Before she could pull back a hard hand grabbed her wrist and she screamed. "Let me out of here! I won't be one of those demons! Let me out, please!"

Tygra gripped the hand that held her, dragged it further out and stamped on the man's wrist, hard. The fingers released her and the cat inside began to wail. "Don't make me one of those things! Creator, have mercy!"

Cheetara fell away from the door, shaking all over. She'd seen some terrible things so far, but her wrist was already bruising from the death grip of the cat. "I…we…"

"Sh." Tygra shook his head even as Lion-O ducked to check on her arm, eyes wide. "Don't say anything. We can't be found out, and this guy might not be trustworthy," he whispered. Cheetara swallowed her words and let Lion-O examine her.

"It'll be sore." He helped her up, his fingers cool as they brushed over the hurt place. "We'll find some ice for it soon."

Cheetara let Lion-O and Tygra handle giving the other prisoners food after that. Most were quiet, some screamed like they were mad, and a few threatened to kill them if they didn't open the door. Tygra seemed largely unaffected – he always had been pretty calm about hateful people – but Lion-O often breathed in and out slowly as if he were trying to ignore what he was hearing. "They're just scared," he said softly. "And I don't blame them." The stark difference between the "Fangs" and Lion-O seemed stranger every moment.

When at last they reached the final door in the wall, Tygra sniffed. "That's Mi-Ao," he hissed. Knocking, he said, "Mi-Ao? You in there?"

"Am I to be killed after all? Or will you let me rot in here?" Mi-Ao sounded grim and Tygra got onto the floor to look through the flap.

"The camera," Cheetara said. Tygra sat up but took the last tray and slid it through.

"Mi-Ao it's me. Tygra. Xiame's son."

The man sucked in a breath. "…What?"

"You gave me a message from my mother, Matrae. You told me things were getting dangerous in Icla." Cheetara heard Mi-Ao settle near the door.

"Tygra? It's really you? Creator's mercy, he does hear prayers! What are you doing here?"

"Traveling with a group toward the north. I wanted to check on Mom, and we've seen some crazy stuff on our way. Mutation's spreading everywhere."

"Don't I know it? This ring has been hoarding it for one great project because of some group destroying their facilities and taking down their agents." Mi-Ao took the tray judging from the sound of the clink of a bowl.

"Yeah. We're the group. We didn't start out to take down Mutation facilities, but they seem to be run by people that have ulterior motives to just getting rich off of the drug trade. How did you come to Tropo?" Tygra asked.

"You're the-!? Ha, I suppose Matrae's son would be involved in such things. I've been losing men that come here to deliver goods from the north and I came to investigate what was happening because I didn't want to lose any more people. I started asking the wrong questions and ended up with a sack over my head. Is that cat really the Fangs of the West?"

Cheetara realized they hadn't mentioned it and looked at him along with Tygra. "Are you?" she asked. Lion-O shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes I am. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I just…I couldn't see any reason it would matter."

"We've got a legendary swordsman with us and it's not worth mentioning? Sheesh." Tygra turned back to the door, kicking it to appear as if he were just antagonizing Mi-Ao. "Yeah, and he's on our side. We're in the trade for now but we're going to try to stop them. They've got big plans for the annual merchant's convention-"

Mi-Ao uttered an oath. "That! I've heard them talking about it! They're going to be hiding in the sector of the city where it's held and…I don't know how, but they intend to drug thousands of people at once and trap them, and take them underground before city guards get wise."

Cheetara bit her claws, pretending to wander around in boredom. "Maybe they're trying to make it possible to take Mutation by inhaling. When it was just the mineral people used to smoke it as a stimulant…maybe they're trying to do something similar. If they unleashed enough…"

"Everyone would inhale it and turn in a matter of seconds." Tygra snapped his fingers. "That must be it. It's the only way they could do it so quickly."

"Maybe. We can't assume anything, but it's a good start." Lion-O crossed his arms. "We have to go, we've stayed too long already. Mi-Ao, just sit tight. We've got friends on the outside and we're going to do everything we can to stop this. Don't give up."

"I won't, boy. Just be careful. You may have defeated Nfumu in the pit but he's not going to take that loss. I've heard things about him…that he fights best in a brawl, not a duel. He'll kill you if he gets the chance. You should have finished him off."

Mi-Ao's voice was nervous and Lion-O closed his eyes. "I know. I probably will soon enough." He sounded so sad that Cheetara hesitantly touched his back. "It's harder than I thought it would be. Killing someone, even a bad person."

"You sound decent. Don't let that keep you from stopping these monsters." They pushed the cart away and Tygra crossed his arms.

"We have to get him out, soon. Red didn't like you usurping his authority; he might decide to kill him at any moment."

Lion-O nodded. "I tried to reassure him, but I don't know how well it worked. Where did Snarf run off to?"

"I was exploring." Snarf fell in beside them. "I've been avoiding the cameras as best I can, but Tygra's invisibility would work better. I could slip out with him and run to find Panthro and the kittens to give them information."

"First we need to get these chips out of us. We could carry them most of them time to fool Red's trackers." Cheetara grimaced and looked the lump in her fur over. "I want it out as soon as possible."

Tygra was as deft as ever picking the chips out when they found a corner that Snarf said was out of the scope of a camera. It hurt but the pain – and bleeding – were quite worth it. "How do you keep it from bleeding too much?" Lion-O asked. Tygra applied pressure to his own wound without issue.

"Red was lying. Or ignorant. I just had to make sure not to hit veins. Easy enough if you've ever watched a surgeon remove a metal shard from someone's arm. Which I have." Tygra gave his chip to Lion-O. "I'll slip Snarf outside and come back to avoid suspicion. Snarf, will you be able to sneak back in on your own? I don't want to risk being seen."

Snarf nodded. "Getting out is harder than getting in because I can't climb out of the trap door alone. I'll have them keep an eye out for anything suspicious near the merchant sector."

Cheetara gave Snarf a quick kiss on the nose. "You're very brave. Thank you."

Snarf wiggled. "Come on everyone. We can put a stop to this, same as we did with Tug-Mug, Gyp, and Red-Eye."

* * *

"So that was the Sword of Omens? Why does some random cat have the sword of the royals?"

Slithe's wings beat heavy and loud compared to Gyp's gliding, feathered tips. "That I don't know. I think he's been sent by the king to mend it. That's what she thinks as well." He would need to inject himself again soon but he didn't want to until the last moment; he didn't have much left. Gyp could fly regardless of whether he was on Mutation or not but to keep up with Slithe's wingspan he had taken to Mutant form. Slithe had refused to allow him to ride on his back.

"Ridiculous. Is he going to the old, legendary Door to the heart of the world?" Gyp scoffed. "How stupid. The people of this planet can be so-"

"Every world has a heart. It's real." Slithe gave the bird a cold look and added, "I freed you so I would have backup to take these cats down. Don't make me regret that."

Gyp's face wrinkled with dislike. "You think you could kill me in the air, my element?"

"I don't have to attack. I just have to sit on you. Your body would absorb the shock nicely. Like a feather mattress." Gyp glanced down at the distant earth and seemed slightly less antagonistic.

"So you really believe the Sword of Omens has a connection to the core of the planet? That its energy comes from there?" Slithe nodded. "Why?"

"It wasn't the first of its kind made. It was the second. The first one though…it took all the strength of that heart to make it. It became the heart of a world and the heart itself faded. The Sword of Omens, on the other hand, is meant to coexist with the world it came from. The test subject…I suppose that planet was less…valuable."

Gyp cocked a brow, breast feathers ruffling through the updrafts. "So this other sword took all the energy from another world? What happened to this planet?"

Slithe said nothing. Gyp sighed. "It all just sounds like myth and conjecture to me. But believe what you want. I just don't want to get wiped out when she releases her forces." There was silence for a while as the green world shifted to the sea, blue and flat beneath them. "Is she really going to send the mutated ones up against a demon?"

"She intends to use them to wipe out other kingdoms as well. She thinks I don't know." To speak of mass murder was a light thing for them. "She needs the Sword of Omens and several other items to successfully control the demon. If she rules all the kingdoms she'll be able to find them much easier, and use the dead he kills to fuel her powers. That was the impression I got."

"So why are the cats trying to interfere with the Mutation trade? Do they know that?" Gyp asked.

"They're not stupid. They know the two are connected. They may know more than we do now." Slithe scowled. "I'm beginning to regret ever joining this woman. Destroy our enemies, fine. But attempting to controls demons or gods…it just sounds foolish."

"Assuming you even believe in them." Gyp sniffed heartily but Slithe just shook his head.

"I do. That's what worries me. If the demon has already settled in the core of our world, he will be getting stronger. The woman has little time. It won't be long now before he stirs."

"And if it gains strength? What then?" Gyp sounded almost mocking.

Slithe looked at him. "The world will end." He spoke as if he expected rain and Gyp's condescension faltered slightly. "He will have devoured what gives our world the ability to sustain life. As he does over and over throughout the universe. And he'll be set loose to do the same to others."

Gyp asked nothing more and they sped on toward Tropo. If the cats were headed there, they would welcome them with their fellow generals Red and Nfumu. See them stand against the Alliance's greatest all brought together again.

* * *

This was where a scout was invaluable.

Snarf had grown used to the tunnels over the past few days and slipping in and out without attracting attention had become much easier. He used smells, odd nicks in the wall, his own marking of territory – it all made the tunnels simple to navigate.

There were five kennel-cells where the mutated were held. They were sent out every month or so, through one long tunnel until they came up very close to the mountains and were taken by another agent to be chained and sent north. Electricity was a good goad, and vicious as the beasts became they were not intelligent, so a prod worked well.

Eight hundred total were here if Red was to be believed. There were also fifty other prisoners held in cells, most of whom they simply hadn't gotten around to mutating or whom they enjoyed tormenting with the prospect of their deaths. Investigators were in the city but Snarf feared that if he led them to this place they would be killed immediately.

And he still hadn't figured out where this grand project was to take place. The merchant sector was large, as big as his forest, and if he sat down and considered the scape of it he felt weak at the knees. How would he know where to start looking? Panthro and the kittens were hunting for clues, keeping quiet, and Lion-O and the others kept to themselves and tried to glean information. Red was tight-lipped about locations; he didn't trust them. Snarf preferred it when their enemies were fools.

It was either good fortune or providence when, three days later, Snarf sat on a roof with a melon rind between his paws – swarming with mites, delicious – that he heard a familiar whine. Peering over the street, he licked his sticky claws. Red was out and about with a few bodyguards, dressed as a plain merchant. He seemed to be heading east.

Snarf abandoned the melon and followed along the rooftops. They were easy to cross between clothing wires, banners, and overhangs. Nobody ever paid him any attention. Apparently many small creatures liked to climb and fly up there and he scurried along without a sound, following the jackal with hope. Certainly he would have to check on the place where they would try to hold thousands of mutated beings?

It was through an archway that Red walked and the door behind him shut, barred like a castle door. Snarf scanned the wall that held the arch for a window and found one, high up and tiny. He wouldn't be able to fit through it but he might be able to see inside. He clambered up the wall using grooves and designs in the bricks and just managed to make it high enough to grip the window's bars – bars everywhere it seemed – and look inside.

It had to have been a castle at one time. Or perhaps an amphitheater. Archways were every few yards around the rim so it could be entered at any time from many paths, and there was room where there may have once been seats. The walls were thick and all windows were high up, and Snarf spotted what looked like a platform for a speaker. It must have been a theater once, for it looked like a stage.

Other things unnerved him. The fact that the ground seemed to slope toward the platform which was perfectly flat. The immense size of the place. And the fact that all the archways around the walls were sealed shut with modern bars.

Snarf's mind was quick and he put two and two together easily. Imagine all the doors open, and some great announcement. It would be held here, where all could be gathered together to listen. And just say there were tunnels carved below the platform-stage – assume it could be pulled away, just like the platform had rested over the pit where Nfumu and Lion-O had fought – and hundreds upon hundreds of people-turned-beast could be herded along it into a new cell waiting for them. The archways could all be sealed shut beforehand and several vials thrown into the crowds…mindless animals wouldn't know to stay away from the tunnel, an "escape" to their frenzy.

Snarf licked his furry lips. "I think I've found it."

"Thank the Creator, but now what?" Cheetara sat on her bunk and folded her arms around her knees. There were only two beds and both men insisted she have one. Lion-O and Tygra switched nights sleeping with their back against the door, the other in the upper bunk. Snarf plopped onto the bed beside her and let her scratch his belly.

"I hardly know. The place is massive, and if the convention has an announcement that needs making, I'm sure that's the gathering place they'll use. Panthro checked it out too and says that they must be controlling the doorways from a remote somehow because he couldn't find a switch anywhere." Snarf watched glumly as Lion-O paced. Only in this room were there no cameras trained on them. Granted that was because Tygra had found it and managed to wire it so it replayed old footage of all of them sleeping. He'd shrugged.

"They need to watch their security tapes better. Any invisible cat could get in to their camera room and manipulate it however he liked. Did you know the guy next door is really good at interpretive dance?"

At this point the tiger was lounging on the upper bunk. "If we could get a warning out to the merchants we might be able to keep their plan from being a success. But that doesn't get us anywhere. There are still eight hundred people down here that need help and you bet Red would try again somewhere else. We're losing time in this place, and I still think we'll be found out if we stay long."

Cheetara looked at Lion-O. "What do you think? Maybe we should just leave our chips here and get out to warn the other merchants. I'd hate to leave the others, but we could at least get Mi-Ao out before they got wise to us…"

Lion-O looked at her in surprise. "You want to leave the others here?"

"No! I want to save everyone and beat the Ghen out of these monsters!" Her curse was rather shocking and Snarf twitched. "But I'd rather save thousands and come back for hundreds than have that many more trapped down here because we tried to do something impossible." Cheetara buried her face in her knees and Snarf sat up, sniffing.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She rubbed her face against her arms and said nothing. "Cheetara, what is it?"

She sniffed. Loudly. "One of the prisoners was dead today. I went to take him dinner and I didn't hear him take the plate so I had someone open the door. He bit his wrists so he'd bleed out. He killed himself."

Tygra swore, enraged. "He gave up? Cheetara…that's not your fault."

Lion-O stopped pacing and knelt in front of her, taking her hands so she had to lift her head. Her eyes were watery and her bangs stuck up funny. Snarf hopped into her lap and licked her face dry. "Cheetara, there was nothing you could do."

"It was the man that grabbed my arm. He was so scared of being turned into a Mutant. At least when they're already mutated they aren't afraid." She wiped her eyes roughly. "I'm sorry, I'm being stupid. We just have to stop them. Somehow."

Lion-O sighed. "All we can do is stop anyone else from getting mutated. We don't have enough antimutagen to help everyone. And if we set them loose they'll kill us, everyone in the tunnels, and then go after citizens. I wish there were a way to hold them so they could receive help, but-"

He stopped and stood up. His face was slightly shocked as if he'd been slapped. "Snarf, you think there's a tunnel under the old amphitheater?"

Snarf nodded. "I'd assume so. That would be the only way I could think they'd be able to get the merchants down here into a cell safely."

Lion-O was pacing again, fiercely and with energy. "Are the kennels connected to each other?"

Snarf blinked and Tygra interjected, "Yeah, the controls are with the security tapes. It's how they get the mutated out of each pen when it's full and they need to move them to the tunnels to the north. The controls open walls between each one without letting them into the tunnels where the Mutation traders are."

Lion-O whirled around, grinning. "Guys, I have an idea. Not only are we going to keep Red and his lackeys from locking the merchants in the amphitheater, we're going to use his trap as a holding pen. I have some details to write down so Snarf, be ready to take a scroll to Panthro."

Snarf's tail swished and he bared his little teeth in a smile. "I love a little sabotage."

* * *

 **End of Episode 11**


	12. Chapter 12

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 12**

 **The Generals of the Alliance**

* * *

Panthro breathed a little easier whenever Snarf brought news of Lion-O, Cheetara, and Tygra over the days they spent underground. He wouldn't admit it but his protectorate being out of his sight made him more nervous than anything yet had.

Except for the fact that he now had two kittens to look after. That…was another matter entirely.

Wilykit liked to hold hands and Wilykat liked to do things on his own. Kat hated cooked vegetables and Kit only liked them if they were stir-fried with sauce. Neither one wanted to go to bed when he told them to and when they squabbled over nonsense like whose tail was longer or who had inherited their dad's ability to flap his ears better Panthro could have slammed his head in a door. Repeatedly.

And yet, on the other hand, he didn't want to leave them in the inn on their own. They would bundle together on the one bed and cuddle up as kittens did, and the sight touched something hard in him. They were good kids, annoying. His heart didn't often kindle but it warmed at the sight.

He grunted and went to take a leak. The warm feeling faded. Thank goodness.

Panthro read through the scroll three times to make sure he understood the orders and when the kittens got up he showed it to them. "Will they believe us?" Kit asked. "The merchants might just think we're playing a bad trick."

"Given the history of the area I think they'll be willing to listen. But listen; I don't want you guys telling anyone about what's supposed to happen. You'll leave little notes around the sector. That way you won't get held up or caught."

Kat looked up at Panthro. "What about Lion-O, Cheetara, and Tygra? Are they gonna be okay?"

"They'll be fine. I'll see to that. You two need to leave the messages and get back here where it'll be safe."

Snarf watched from the roof yet again, keeping an eye on the kittens as they deposited messages everywhere there were merchants in the sector. Every vendor and stall, all the little stores, each one had several snippets of paper scattered around. Each one said the same thing.

"Don't gather together at the amphitheater. It's a trap like last year."

Snarf was key to the next step. Some merchants read the messages and seemed stunned, whispering amongst themselves in the stalls and stores. It was at this point he would dip down from his perches in some quiet, shadowy spot and whisper, "It's true. Stay away. Tell your friends."

The merchants would flip out and Snarf would flee, satisfied by their reaction. Lion-O had made it clear that they had to keep as many merchants out as possible for this plan to work. There had to be few enough that Red wouldn't bother unleashing the Mutation.

There was one other reaction he had to look for, and the bag around his neck – sloshing full of red paint – was part of it. If he saw a merchant that looked as if they understood the message too well, eyes shifty and unnerved, Snarf stole up behind them and swung the bag, dropping a splotch of paint on their back. They were marked; Panthro was to take them down when they happened down abandoned alleyways and stow them in an abandoned house. Alive, so they could be interrogated by investigators later.

It was difficult but by the end of the day Snarf managed to mark – and Panthro managed to beat up – sixty merchants that Snarf was…ninety-percent sure were bad. Oh he hoped they were.

Snarf returned to the tunnels after his paint had run out. Phase two was ready to begin.

* * *

Tygra had never encountered someone who could turn hot and cold so quickly and smoothly as Lion-O. With them he was their ordinary, nice Lion-O who could fight pretty good but didn't really want to hurt a fly. Then, in the whirl of his cloak, he was the Fangs of the West; quiet, civil, and deadly as sharpened metal. He spoke with authority, expecting to be obeyed. It was utterly peculiar.

At no point did he take out the Sword of Omens. It remained tucked safe and useless in the gauntlet on his back.

Tygra wasn't sure he liked it. Of course he knew Lion-O was keeping some secrets from them. He just hadn't thought they might go as deep as he was beginning to think they might. The tournaments took place within the courtyard of the palace stationed in the Imperial City, and that he had fought in them for years was very strange; he wasn't technically old enough. His parents must have been high-ranking to get him in, even with his talent. Then again, if he served the king, he was likely of an old bloodline or something…perhaps he was the king's armor-bearer. Such a position was honorable and it made some sense. No doubt he would be trained as a fighter then.

Regardless, it was Lion-O who was with them now, even though he was masked. Snarf lay flopped across Cheetara's lap, letting her scratch his belly with a blissful look on his face. "All right. That's half of the merchants of the Mutations trade, so…yes, we can handle that. We should be able to deal with them if we run into trouble."

Lion-O looked at the three. Tygra stood up. "Tygra, I need you to gain control of the camera room without making a ruckus. Sneak in, knock out whoever's watching, and get to the controls for the tunnels and gates of the amphitheater. After it's clear seal the doors and open the tunnel to the kennels so the mutated merchants can get to the amphitheater. Watch the cameras to make sure they all get out and then seal them in the theater. Once that's done, break the controls so no one can alter them." Lion-O paused for breath. "Can you do all that?"

"Sure. They had labels on everything. I get the feeling none of these guys are very bright. Except Red, maybe. And this goes down during the announcement? Why not just do it now, not even risk the merchants?"

"Because we want Red and the others outside the tunnels so Cheetara and I can get all the captives out without anyone getting hurt. Red is going out to deliver the 'news' to the merchants and oversee the Mutation, so he has to be out there at least." Lion-O examined his blades for wear. "I don't want to risk any innocent bystanders getting killed," he murmured. "Even these treacherous people are worth something. I want as few people as possible down here when Cheetara sets off the final phase."

Tygra shook his head. "That soft heart is going to get you killed someday."

Cheetara paused in rubbing Snarf's belly. "The more people that can be interrogated the better. I think it's a good idea to empty this place out before I do my thing. After we get the prisoners out of the cells I head to…where is it, Snarf?"

"Three halls over to your right and it's the second door on your left. They keep plenty of expensive goods in there that they use for traveling and covering their black market trade, and there are small kegs of oil for maintaining the power generators. You should be able to carry one in your arms and another on your back."

Nodding, Cheetara resumed her gentle scratching. "I douse all the Mutation I can find. Snarf marked it on the map." She held up a crumpled piece of paper and Lion-O looked it over. "There are fifty rooms where they stockpile it. If I can make a trail that leads to each room, the chemicals will catch fire and it'll spread through the tunnels. Their operation will be dead."

She chewed her lip. "Are you sure it won't hurt anyone above ground?"

"Nah, this stone isn't flammable." Tygra knocked on the wall. "And there aren't any wooden supports or anything, so after the fire burns up its fuel and runs out of oxygen, it'll burn right out. Don't worry so much."

Lion-O's tail was whisking around, a sure sign of nerves. "Cheetara, set the fire when you're at the exit. Don't light it early no matter what. The last thing I want is for one of us to get trapped down here…no matter how fast they are," he added. "As we know, tunnels are tricky." She gave him a weary smile and he chewed his lower lip. "If we have to fight, fight to flee. Don't get sucked into a long battle. If we have to go up against Red or Nfumu, we'll do it above ground."

Snarf wriggled. "When I said I loved sabotage, I didn't mean this kind. I think we should just get the people out and forget about burning the tunnels."

Tygra shook his head. "Look, these creeps will set up shop somewhere else if we don't take out their remaining supplies. We thought only the north was making Mutation before and we were wrong. The more we wipe out the better off the people will be. And it gets us closer to the people threatening Icla." Selfish it may be, but Tygra took it personally when the place his mother dwelled in was unsafe. They dared come near who he valued and thought they could mess with her? Tigers were dangerous when you crossed them.

Snarf sighed. "I suppose. Everyone just be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you loons. I'm getting attached."

Cheetara kissed his nose. "Don't worry. We'll make it work. Dawn tomorrow we'll be ready."

Someone rapped on the door, loudly, and Lion-O opened it after Snarf had hidden under the bed and Tygra and Cheetara donned their hoods. It was an amphibian, skin slick and blue. "Red wants to see everyone. Guests have arrived with news about the group that's been ruining our operations, and they're going to help with the Mutation trap." He rushed off and Lion-O looked at the others.

Tygra drew his teeth over his tongue in thought. "Why do I not like the sound of this?"

Lion-O saw Slithe and Gyp first and his first words to the others were, "We are in deep goo-no."

Snarf – who had not seen Slithe but had heard of him, and remembered Gyp all too well – bared his teeth as Tygra tucked him under his cloak. "I thought the Berbils dealt with him!"

"There's no way Slithe took down the Berbils on his own," Cheetara said reasonably, watching the two on the platform like venomous serpents. "They sent Gyp to a Thunderan village didn't they? So he could be held for trial?"

"I think so. It sounds like the proper, merciful thing they'd do along with the Snarfs." Tygra's eyes glinted like gold from under his hood. "He probably freed Gyp from the local authorities because he was too weak to beat us on his own, lily-livered nonfel."

Cheetara shot him a look but Lion-O put up a hand. "We need to keep our heads down. If they don't see us and they accompany Red to the amphitheater, this plan can still work. Just don't panic."

"Fangs, these people wish to meet you," Red called. Lion-O muttered something in his mind that was very, very colorful and gestured for Cheetara and Tygra to stay put. "Everyone has heard of your skill, not the least of which being my fellow generals. Thunderan or no."

Lion-O approached slowly, wondering if Slithe or Gyp had good enough senses to tell it was him by his smell.

They'll only know if I panic. Control, focus, temperance. Put Lion-O away and bring the other one out. Just like always. The other one knows what to do and what to say.

Lion-O exhaled quietly and opened his eyes again. "I've never been one much for political affiliation," he said mildly. Voice clear and calm, a part of him wondered at this other person he became. What if one day he went away and didn't come when he was needed? This refined person had been cultured ever since he was a baby, but the false face might crack someday.

Worse yet, what if Lion-O wandered away and the mask couldn't be removed?

"You're wise. It leads to trouble." Slithe watched him with narrow eyes, but if he was suspicious he showed no other symptom. "I hear you defeated Nfumu. No small task."

The ape stood in the crowd and everyone could hear his knuckles crack. "Only in a duel. And he is a worthy opponent," Lion-O said softly. The last thing he needed to do was enrage Nfumu again. "Surely there are more important, interesting people to meet than I?"

Gyp interjected before Slithe could speak. "Hardly. We're going to need your help! Someone's been taking down our agents!"

The crowd murmured and Lion-O made certain his tail was out of sight; the red of his hair might tip them off. "I've heard about that. A group of cats?"

"Yes, but I mean here, now! Look at how few merchants are here!" Gyp looked to Red, whose scowl was darker than usual. "If she finds out about this there are going to be problems…"

"Quiet." Red's nose wrinkled with a snarl and he rounded on Lion-O. "Someone has been spreading word through town about the trap being set. We're going to spring it in half an hour to catch all that haven't heard. It won't be what we want, but it'll be something. And I want you up there in case anyone shows up. You'll take care of them quietly."

Lion-O kept his tail low, hoping they didn't see his fur bristle with alarm. The plan required him to be down here. "I'm honored. Though I should think Nfumu could handle this sort of thing as well as I." The ape grunted, unmoved.

"'Quietly' isn't in his vocabulary," Gyp said plaintively. "Red's been telling us about you; don't start thinking you're going to be a head around here just because you can wave a couple of blades around. You're strong, sure, but you're Thunderan. No Alliance member would work for a feline. So you follow Slithe with the other guards and we'll set up all the technical things."

Lion-O wanted to step on his foot but just nodded. His heart was racing; what did he do now? Cheetara was fast as breath but she couldn't free the prisoners, guide them out, and then burn the Mutation all on her own. It was too dangerous. And Tygra would have to man the camera controls. They would need him, but how was he to get down into the tunnels if he was to protect these loathsome generals?

As Slithe passed Tygra and a few others Lion-O felt something light connect with his hip and scuttle under his cloak. "We'll make it work," he heard faintly, and his stomach lowered a few inches. Leave it to the others to be thinking just when he needed their help the most. He exhaled a slow gust and hoped in their abilities.

Slithe might have glanced back with suspicious slits for eyes, but in the flicker of a torch the look was gone.

* * *

"Looks like it's happening early." Panthro was crouched atop the amphitheater wall, observing the merchants as they entered, whispering under the archways and stepping through uneasily. "Ghen, we didn't reach them all."

Granted there were far fewer than there ought to be, and all of them seemed nervous. Kit and Kat's tails lashed as they watched the men and women enter. "We gotta do something! I wish Lion-O were here; what do we do?" Kat asked.

"Well, we gotta keep these guys busy and get the merchants out. I don't think that's changed." Panthro scanned the platform, spotting Red and – much to his chagrin – Slithe and Gyp behind him. "You gotta be kidding me."

"Ooh, those jerks! I thought Gyp was going to jail," Kit said hotly, pouting.

"He was supposed to." The moonlight glinted off a metal mask and Panthro's lips thinned into a flat line. "Lion-O's out here. Looks like they wanted to bring bodyguards." The kittens looked for him and it was only after Panthro pointed him out that they recognized him.

"You don't think Slithe knows, do you?" Kat asked. Panthro shrugged.

"I doubt it. What I want to know is where the people with the Mutation are. The doors aren't closed yet, but if those vials are thrown there's going to be trouble."

"I don't think they're people. Look!" Kit pointed several feet to their right. A light was glowing gently, shining a spotlight down into the amphitheater to light the darkest places. People stood under its glow but Panthro squinted at the machine shining the light out. There was something lodged under it and he crept over to remove it.

It looked like a small catapult, or a crossbow meant to sling bolts. Its trajectory looked to be the same as that of the light, and Panthro opened the machine and into his hand fell a little tube of green chemical.

"You kids get better at this all the time," he marveled. Kit peered over the edge to spy out more lights.

"If each one has a throwing thing there are five more. Panthro, we don't have time to get them all!"

"We can't just jump in to fight though, the bad guys will hurt Lion-O!" Kat whispered. "If they know who he is-!"

Panthro shushed him. "I'll buy you and the others time. Don't worry, just get rid of the Mutation. Then get out of here and hide at the inn. Don't answer the door, just protect yourselves at any cost."

"Wait, what are you going to-?"

The question remained unfinished as Panthro climbed over the edge of the wall and slid down between cracks and falling bricks, reaching the ground quietly and creeping through the crowd of merchants, tail coiling. Red seemed almost ready to start, but Panthro took out his nunchuks and hoped his acting was as good as it used to be.

"Fangs of the West!" he roared. The sound echoed through the amphitheater like thunder and everyone fell back from him like leaves skittering across the ground. Red stopped in shock and Gyp squawked. "I'd heard you'd sold out but I didn't want to believe it! You've turned your back on the Code!"

Lion-O's mouth had fallen open for a second but he shut it then, just in time for the generals to look at him curiously. "What are you doing here, panther?" he asked, voice condescending.

"Trying to talk sense to a Thunderan champion! Those people look up to you and you turn your back on them for profit and amusement? You're the lowest of the low!" Panthro spat on the ground and Lion-O started down from the platform.

"Leave it to a soldier to make life all about duty. Haven't you ever thought that maybe there was more to it than following orders all over creation?" Lion-O unsheathed his swords and Panthro noticed that the doors were still open. A few merchants had already bolted.

Red gnashed his teeth. "Shut the door," he muttered, "I told them to shut all the gates once we reached several hundred! Why aren't they closing?"

Panthro had a good idea why; it involved stripes and a witty attitude playing havoc with a technology system. "All you merchants need to get out! This is a trap, just like the messages said!"

Lion-O bared his teeth. "Be quiet, oaf!" More traders broke away, fleeing for their lives. Red screeched after them.

"Fangs, kill him! He's the one ruining everything! He's with that group that's been causing all the problems!" Gyp called. Lion-O nodded and leaped forward, blades meeting nunchuks with a shower of sparks. Panthro was much stronger but Lion-O had the flexibility and speed.

Panthro looked into the eyes of the mask, familiar blue gaze meeting his. "Serpentine spar style?" he asked in undertone.

Lion-O smiled. "My favorite."

Then the weapons parted and met again, weaving into a deadly whirl.

* * *

Tygra watched the battle with some interest but he was far more focused on watching where the Mutation traders were in the tunnels. Cheetara was moving fast, trying to get cell doors open but they were all locked and he knew precisely where the keys were – hanging from his finger. Security room housing the keys…how cliché. She was nowhere near his position and there was no loudspeaker system, so it was all he could do to wait and hope she'd happen by. He didn't want to attract attention and he'd never be able to catch up, so he settled for looking over the screens and controls.

This one would open the tunnel under the platform, Lion-O could use that to get in to help with the cells and getting people out. But he couldn't open it with the generals on it, they'd follow him. Tygra gnawed his lip and hoped that the kittens were safe somewhere. Darn those kids, knowing them they were off trying to help and it frightened him to think of them being caught. He wasn't a believer, but at moments like this he almost prayed.

The merchants were out. Red was visibly fuming and Tygra smirked as he howled. He'd open the platform if Lion-O and Panthro had a chance to bolt, but what about the generals? His smile faded when he considered, after the others were safely out of the tunnels, just letting the mutated out with the generals sealed inside. These were the worst of the worst after all, scoundrels and scum of the Alliance. They made this substance that ruined lives and who knew how many good soldiers had died at the hands of their men and orders?

All the same, the idea of leaving anyone to die by being torn to pieces made his blood run cold. He shrugged it off. "Lion-O's rubbing off on me," he muttered.

The prisoners all had to get out before he could close the doors. There would be little chance of escaping through the tunnels after all. Curse the generals, they were getting ready to intervene in the battle. Maybe he ought to open the platform now after all and drop them into the tunnel to stun them-

Something hot and damp passed over his ear. It twitched and Tygra recognized an angry breath in three-tenths of a second and ducked.

Just in time. Nfumu's mace would have shattered his skull if he hadn't gotten down and he rolled aside and leaped to his feet, taking out his whip as the ape lowered his weapon and turned to him with an expression like thunder. "Did you think we wouldn't watch the room?"

Tygra had knocked out the lizard that had been overseeing matters but Nfumu would not be so easy to take. His mouth was dry as he managed, "I'd hoped you wouldn't. Is this operation really worth it at this point?"

"Sure. I kill one of the cats that's been causing so much trouble for our trade. Do you know how many years we've worked to make it this powerful? How many heads I've had to pop from shoulders?" Nfumu walked toward him, arms loose. "We'll recover quickly indeed once you nosy little cats are out of the picture."

Tygra stepped backward and felt one of the chairs behind him. "I can't persuade you to join us or do the right thing? Maybe join us around the campfire for a rousing family song?"

Nfumu's lips peeled back, yellow teeth baring like the rocks of a cave. "I don't have many tiger teeth. If I knock them out will you still be able to talk?"

Instead of replying Tygra grabbed the back of the chair and swung it up and hurled it toward Nfumu. As it shattered across the brawny arm that drew up to block it Tygra leaped forward with his whip unraveling and snapped it in the direction of the unsuspecting wrist. He snapped it back and pulled with all his might.

Nfumu didn't budge, just looking at his arm and the whip wrapped around it. Tygra had enough time to curse mentally before the ape pulled at the whip, jerking it out of his hand. The tiger ducked before the mace could connect with his face and tried to think of a way to take this brute down. The nonfel could kill him with the right blow, and then he'd go find Cheetara or the generals who would certainly look for her and kill Lion-O and Panthro.

His mind was being pulled in two directions so it was no surprise that Nfumu's hand found his neck and he managed to suck in one breath before the ape began to squeeze.

It felt like his eyeballs were about to pop from his head. He could hear the blood stumble in his veins and ears as the vise grip crushed his neck, all too aware of the pain. Tygra sputtered, unable to let his breath go, and kicked at Nfumu. His toe claws left red stripes along the ape's chest and arms but he was feet above the ground and couldn't get any force behind it.

Nfumu's teeth seemed to blur and grow brighter as his lungs began to burn. His fingers stopped operating and Tygra fought to keep his arms up and fighting, but they just wouldn't obey. They hung down like weights and all he could do was twitch.

Suddenly Nfumu screamed and the smell of burning fur hit his nose. This was because the hand released him and he exhaled and inhaled, hyperventilating to make up for the burning darkness of his eyes. There was a great feeling of weight hitting the ground beside him and he slowly sat up, sight returning.

Nfumu twitched on the ground senselessly, Cheetara staring at the prone body with wide brown eyes. "Tygra?"

"'M okay," he managed, trying to get up. She ducked and lifted him to his feet, examining his neck. "He's tough. Gotta kill him now."

Cheetara looked pale. "You doofus, look at your neck. It's one big bruise."

"I'm a doofus? Oh, sorry I'm not psychic and I didn't see the future of Nfumu showing up!" He took her staff which was still smoking faintly. "I'll deal with this tailsucker."

"Tygra!" Cheetara hadn't exclaimed at his curse but rather at the screen; Panthro and Lion-O were continuing their duel but Slithe, Red, and Gyp were circling around. The duel paused and the generals focused in like predators on Panthro, and Lion-O appeared to be doing some fast talking.

Tygra snarled and gave her staff back, leaving Nfumu prone on the floor. He had no more time; he grabbed the nearest lever and forced it down.

The platform slid away and the generals turned to it in shock. Lion-O and Panthro pelted for it and leaped down into the dark. Tygra threw the switch again, leaving the generals in the amphitheater.

* * *

"This is not what I had planned," Lion-O said, lifting his mask in order to wipe the sweat from his face. "Snarf, what's happening?"

Snarf had been quite cramped huddled under Lion-O cloak and hanging on to the sheaths of his swords. Now he jumped up to the lion's shoulder and stretched as he ran. "Tygra was going to go to the camera and control room and Cheetara was going to try to free the prisoners. Something must have gone wrong."

"Cheetara's fast, but she can't have freed all of them in such a short time. Do you think the generals will be able to follow us?" Snarf noticed that even Panthro gave pause looking at the bars on either side when they came near the pens. Two gates rested on either side of them that could open with the flip of a switch, and the beasts inside were slavering at the sight of strange cats. "They're all ready to be released…it must be him working the doors."

One small door blocked their way. It was the only thing that would keep the mutated from sprinting off into the tunnels once their prison gates opened. Lion-O tried it, found it locked, and Panthro just kicked it in. The hinges held but the lock broke away. They slipped through it and Panthro shut it, taking a crate from the hall outside and placing it in front of the door.

"What now?" The panther scanned the corridors and Snarf sniffed the air.

"Let's head toward the prisoners and the control room. Tygra and Cheetara are probably somewhere along the way," Snarf said. Lion-O nodded and took off, stripping off his mask and made for the hall that held the control room with his guidance.

Panthro looked into a room or two. "Mutation and money. Why am I not surprised?" He kept pace well because of his long-legged stride but stopped when he found a locked room. "What's this?"

"A cell. We'll need the key to open it. Some of the merchants haven't been mutated or were going to be used as hostages," Lion-O said. A great snapping made Snarf look round as Panthro tore the door from its frame. The cat inside screamed but she poked her head out when nothing attacked her.

"Wh-What's happening? Is it-it time for my Mutation at last?" she whispered. She was a tiny brown thing, twenty maybe. Her eyes were red as if she hadn't stopped crying for hours. Panthro shook his head.

"We're busting this place up good so come on. You need to get out. The authorities will help you as soon as we get out of here. Don't be afraid."

Gruff though he was, Panthro's size and strength seemed to rally what little courage she had. She followed them, torn clothes dirty and whipping around her ankles. Panthro broke down every door on the way and Snarf kept mental count. "That's thirteen. There should be forty more if my count is correct."

On their way to fourteen and the control room they ran into Cheetara and Tygra and a few dozen other people trailing behind them. Lion-O's relief at seeing them was cool like rain on a hot day and Snarf hopped to Cheetara in delight. "You're all right!"

"Barely. Nfumu tried to tear my head off," Tygra rasped. His throat was turning purple and he held it as if he were ill. Lion-O's face became agonized and Snarf remembered that he hadn't killed Nfumu in battle. Snarf tapped his head with a paw.

"All right we need to get the prisoners out. We're just about ready to spring the Mutated into the amphitheater." Suddenly he stopped and looked around. "Wait a minute. Where are the children?"

"Up on the walls. They're filching the Mutation vials from the machines that were going to sling them." Panthro seemed unconcerned and Tygra's jaw dropped.

"Wait, what? You just left them up there?"

Panthro looked at him witheringly. "The battle between Lion-O and myself was all to distract the generals. Those kittens want to help in the safest place I can think of, that's the best I can hope for. Besides, you know of any way to get up those walls other than climbing? I had a heck of a time following them up there."

Tygra massaged his throat and glowered but seemed to find nothing to say. "The sooner we get out the sooner we can check on them," Cheetara said faintly. Snarf hopped to her shoulder and gave her cheek an encouraging lick. She seemed very upset by something but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"We were on our way to free the rest of the prisoners," Cheetara said, glancing around Lion-O to see said group peering back at her. "Tygra, you know the way out of the warehouse exit, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. Snarf?" Tygra seemed distracted and Snarf could hardly blame him. He sniffed the air and pawed at his nose afterwards.

"Follow the hall, left, right, left, straight for three turns and right and then up and out." Snarf hopped down when he received an injured, irritated look. "Or I'll just go with you."

Tygra nodded and started to raise his voice. "Okay, all-"

He stopped hoarsely and coughed. Cheetara checked his neck and her lips tightened. "I should have been faster," she whispered.

Snarf felt a wave of boldness strike him. These cats had rescued his people – his darling Sarfina – and now they were trying to do the same for these. He cleared his throat and called, "Attention! All merchants present, attention!"

The group murmured and then became quiet. Tygra straightened and swallowed, Snarf popping over to his shoulder. "All of you need to come with me and this tiger. We know of several exits and we're going to lead you to a safe one. You mustn't go near the amphitheater after this; tell any city guards and investigators you find that there are Alliance generals there and that we're going to be containing their Mutated hostages in the locked theater."

"What?" One dog yipped and Snarf had to cover his ears. "Haven't you seen those things!? They're monsters! They'll kill everyone they find and eat the bodies!"

"They are people. They've been turned into these beasts by the real monsters. And we have a cure for the Mutation that we're going to try to administer as soon as we can." Snarf gave Lion-O a questioning look and he nodded imperceptibly. "The amphitheater's gates are sealed and they'll be held there until there is a way to administer the cure."

Mi-Ao stepped forward and said, "Listen, these cats have freed us and fought for us. I don't think any of us is in a place to question their plans." He looked at Tygra in particular and said more lowly, "Your mother will be terribly angry you're getting injured. But she'll also be very proud."

Tygra smiled in spite of himself. "Sounds like a regular day with her," he rasped.

"But aren't there going to be merchants there? Is that where they were going to be turned?" one woman asked.

"Not any longer. They were scared away before the gates locked. The only people there now are the generals. It's a perfect pen." At this the group seemed more interested; all of them had seen the massive gates and knew the strength of the stone. Snarf waved them toward himself and Tygra and pointed with his tail. "Like I said, follow the hall, then left…"

Tygra paused once. "I'll meet you back at the theater. Cheetara, can you throw the last switch to send the mutated up the tunnel?"

"Sure. Get some medical attention. We'll be fine."

As he led the people away Cheetara turned to Lion-O and Panthro. "We're still burning this place's resources. I'll do it."

Her face was suddenly set harder than steel and Panthro blinked. "Say what?"

"I'm going to burn up the Mutation. Then I'll throw the switch. That'll give you guys time to grab one of the generals." Cheetara's eyes seemed red now and her teeth showed. Lion-O hesitantly reached for her arm.

"Cheetara, are you okay? Why do we need one of the generals?"

"Because Nfumu's probably gone by now. We didn't kill him, we were too worried about the prisoners." Panthro glanced at Lion-O. "I'm not crazy! Look, if we get rid of all the generals that's okay but they have information that Thundera, and Tropo, and every other city could use! They know more about the trade than we do! If we can capture one of them and the rest get killed, we'll be able to deal a blow to the Alliance and to the Mutation trade. But in the off chance they escape, we can't leave them anything. These guys come back, and they ruin everything because of it."

Cheetara gestured to the tunnels. "Do you really think that the investigators will destroy all this? No, they'll look it over and stockpile it somewhere as evidence. And you can bet some of them are in on the trade. What are the chances that all these resources will just go right back to the trade if they're not destroyed?"

The girl sounded fierce and her claws seemed sharper than usual. Panthro examined her face; he'd seen that look in soldiers. It was usually after their unit was destroyed and they were the last ones to survive. "Girl. Tygra's all right. We're all right. You don't need to go doing anything rash."

"I know everyone's all right! But…but he wouldn't have gotten hurt if I hadn't dragged him along in the first place." Cheetara had started pacing from one side of the hall to the other. "He's nearly been killed several times now; we all have. He didn't want to come along, he came to keep an eye on me-"

"And check on his mother," Panthro interjected.

"Still! He's family. I'd gotten there a second or two later…"

Cheetara stopped and pressed her forehead to the wall. Her blond hair seemed to slump. Panthro crossed his arms. He definitely knew this look, and he could talk a man out of it. But a woman was different, at least in his experience. "I know how you feel. How many times do you think I've saved a soldier in the nick of time? But you've gotta push that image of what might have happened out of your head and think. This is no time to freak out. It didn't happen and that's all that counts."

But Lion-O took her shoulders and tugged her from the wall. Her forehead and the tip of her nose were scraped from contact with the rough stone. Then he hugged her.

It was very uncomfortable for Panthro to watch. Hugging was not his thing. After a long moment she sniffed and hugged him back. "Cheetara. Everyone's all right. You saved him, just like you saved me. You've done enough."

He released her after a long moment. "We're not burning the place out. We'll try to capture a general, but you just be ready to flip the switch when we get one out. If we get them above ground everyone will see for themselves what kind of things have been going on. And even if the generals get hold of the Mutation again, we'll think of something. It's not worth putting yourself in any more danger. Okay?"

Cheetara nodded. "Sorry. I just…I want to destroy this whole place. These monsters think they can ruin peoples' lives…"

She firmly wiped her face. "I'll be okay. Try to capture Red and climb up the walls to where the kittens are. Whether the generals are in there or not I'll open the tunnel for the mutated."

Panthro sighed in relief. He'd dealt with men in hysterics before but not so many women. Y you couldn't pop one across the face and tell them to man up. It was indecent. "All right, let's have a cuddle after all this is done. I'm done pulling my punches with all these freaks. Let's take 'em down."

He noticed that Lion-O licked his lips as if he wanted to speak and couldn't quite do so. Cheetara extended her staff warily. "I'll wait at the control room. If the battle starts going bad, just climb out and I'll open the door."

Panthro would have preferred to open the gate and just let the generals get what they deserved, but the idea of actually dragging one into jail where they belonged was very appealing indeed. He'd hoped Gyp would be imprisoned but he'd had his doubts. Never count on something getting done unless you did it yourself, no matter how fuzzy and adorable the Berbils were.

Besides, the king would need the information when they got back. This thought sobered him. They could put an end to this Alliance madness and get information to break the Mutation trade if this went right.

Panthro watched Cheetara run off and followed Lion-O, whose tail seemed low. The generals would be waiting.

* * *

Kat didn't dare to just throw the Mutation away. Instead he and his sister placed the vials in their packs and pillowed them with bits of cloth. Once they'd gotten all the vials they tucked it into a little crevice they found, a gap where a brick had once been.

Then they watched the generals try to get the platform to open, ducking down silently behind the walls and whispering as the three stamped and snarled and hissed at each other.

"Wonder where Nfumu is?" Kit wondered aloud. Kat shook his head.

"Probably in the tunnels. I'm not worried. Lion-O handled him once; he can handle him again. When do you think they'll open the door for the mutated merchants?" he asked.

Kit blinked. "I don't know. They have to get the generals out first, don't they?" Kat gave her a look and her mouth pursed. "They aren't just gonna kill 'em…are they?"

"It wouldn't be any more than they deserve. They tried to kill one of Tygra's friends, Mi-Ao, and they tried to capture and hurt tons of people. And you remember Slithe, he would have killed both of us. Gyp experimented on the Snarfs. These are really bad people Kit." Kat glowered down at the three, wondering if the tunnel was opening or if he was just imagining it.

"I know. But…Lion-O and the others have always tried not to hurt people if they could help it. They wouldn't just let the merchants tear them up." Kit shook her head. "They're nice. Even Panthro."

"It isn't about being nice Kit. Captain Masti was nice and he was killed. You wanna let that happen again?" Kat stopped watching and just lay down. "I'm beginning to see why Panthro didn't want us to come. All this scary, bad stuff happening…it's hard. I don't understand it all, and I wish I didn't understand what I do." He shut his eyes.

Kit didn't reply for a while, ducking down next to him wearily. The air was pleasantly cool and the flat ground was hard but it wasn't too rough. It was getting on toward midnight and both were growing tired. "We should go back to the inn," she said at last.

Kat put a hand on her hair with a thump and felt bad for being so sharp. They were tired and frightened, and worst of all they were alone. Lion-O or Cheetara would have made them feel better, and Tygra would have told them some crazy story. Panthro would have ignored them and made sure their blankets were clear of bugs and set them up clean and neat, and Snarf would curl up next to their tummies.

A great clank made them both sit up, electrified, and the platform slid away as they tucked themselves to the wall again. "It's Lion-O and Panthro!" Kit said.

Slithe was looking at Lion-O was a flat expression. "I should have known."

The Fangs mask was gone now and Lion-O seemed a hundred times gentler for it. "It's time you paid for what you've done, generals. If you surrender now you won't die. This is your only warning." Lion-O's voice was quiet and he paced toward them. Kit's tail drooped and Kat bit his lip.

"All this time I've been going up against a group led by the Fangs of the West…I don't feel so badly now. I thought some soft milk-sucker was besting me, but it's been a hardened warrior all along." Slithe eyed Lion-O with new respect and Red snarled.

"I knew I didn't trust you! I knew it! You've been the one ruining everything!" Red was pacing back and forth, voice shrill. "Gyp, why didn't the Mutation fly? What's going on up there?"

Gyp? Oh nuts. Kat grabbed his sister's hand and ran for it but a shadow under the moon fell across them. "The kittens! They emptied the machines!"

Kat felt talons scrape his tunic but the sound of a cord being fired from Lion-O's gauntlet made Gyp fall short and screech. It had wrapped around his leg and Lion-O pulled the cord back as Panthro anchored the bird down. Kat and Kit both watched breathlessly as Gyp was hurled onto his tail feathers.

"We can make this easy gents. Your operation failed, you've no helpers or resources…your men abandoned you and most have been locked up. This place is going to flood any minute with the people you've mutated. And they're hungry." Panthro waved an arm at the amphitheater. "Either give up and be arrested or be eaten. Even a Mutant can't take on all of those and us."

"Yeah, what he said." Kit jumped as Tygra appeared over the wall, winked at them and slid down the other side. His voice was raspy and his neck was bandaged but he seemed fine other than that.

Gyp and Red were both seething but Slithe just turned in a circle to examine everyone. "You've no idea of what a Mutant can do."

A loud thump made Kat jump; Nfumu had come over the wall several yards away and dropped down as Tygra had. Some of his fur smelled smoky and his face was livid. Tygra hastily moved so he was nearer Panthro and Lion-O. "The girl is probably in the control room. One of you get her; the Fangs is mine," Nfumu said.

The others shared glances and Panthro snarled. "You'll deal with us here first, barbarian."

Nfumu suddenly grinned, teeth uneven. "Fine." He opened a pouch on his belt and tossed three green vials to his fellows. Each caught theirs as if it were a friendly round of drinks. "I thought we'd need a little extra."

Lion-O, Tygra, and Panthro all grimaced when the needles entered flesh, quicker than they could move. Kat looked at his sister in horror and tugged at her arm. "Come on! We gotta do something!"

"You're right." She followed him as they jumped to the nearest rooftop, feet stinging with the impact.

* * *

If Gyp and Slithe couldn't fly it would have been possible and wise to leave the Mutants in the theater and use Lion-O's gauntlet to get out. The inside of the amphitheater was much smoother than the outside and it would require the cords.

But Slithe's wings were sprouting and Gyp's were expanding further by the second. So it didn't really matter.

Slithe moved like water, rolling with muscle and thrumming with a growl. Gyp was the same as ever, talons lengthening and his beak screaming calls. Red on the other hand became four-legged, swelling like Talbot had and his fur darkened to scarlet. His teeth slavered and he grinned, yellow eyes narrowing. "It's good to be back." His muzzle pulled back in a leer and he uttered a low, soft howl, stretching his head back toward the moon. He looked like a great red wolf, and his muzzle wrinkled with a snarl.

Nfumu changed the least. He doubled in size, ballooning into a titan, and his muscles were larger around than melons. One blow from that beast could kill someone. His mace seemed half as large as before and Nfumu tossed it once into the air. He caught it on the way down and smiled, brutish face squarer than before and eyes turning blacker.

Lion-O drew his blades and glanced from foe to foe. He would need the Fangs for this. Sliding the mask out of his pack he put it on and exhaled, letting the sound echo into his ears. The mask of the Fangs made it easier to be the Fangs. Four Mutants would require his best planning. "Okay. Tygra, you handle Red. Your whip can be used to bind his legs, trip him, goad him, and even strangle. Panthro, you go for wings, Gyp's first. One less to worry about. I'll keep Slithe and Nfumu busy, you guys try to get your licks in while I distract them."

"Keep your backs to each other. They'll gang up on us if we don't," Tygra said. "Got any antimutagen?"

"One canister. The rest is with our supplies at the inn and in the Thundertank. Nfumu would probably be the best to use it on for battle but we need to try to capture Red. He'd be the easiest to contain."

Panthro said nothing save for, "Then let's go."

Lion-O had been right in assuming that both Slithe and Nfumu would go for him. Both were massive but he was small and quick, ducking and rolling through grasping claws and fingers. Tygra was fine with Red he observed; he was using his whip to trip up the jackal, although he had to watch the snapping jaws. Red was probably the weakest of all. Gyp was afraid to approach Panthro and leave the area – Lion-O expected the investigators to have some kind of weapons that could reach him – and he only dared to swoop low and claw for a moment before rising again.

Lion-O braced himself to go for the kill but there were two things that stopped him. The first was his own weakness he supposed. The second was the fact that Slithe in particular gave him no opening to anything fleshy or vulnerable.

Nfumu's fists hammered the ground, leaving indentations and cracks in the stone where they connected. "Come here! I'll have your fangs as my prize!" Lion-O gauged his energy against his foes and knew that it would only take one mistake to end everything.

Cheetara would be waiting. Red was baying on the ground, forelegs tied to his hind legs. Tygra had an ugly gash along his forearm but he looked quite satisfied overall. Lion-O heard Gyp veer off and snarled. "Panthro, throw me!"

The panther didn't miss a beat. Lion-O ducked Slithe's tail and sprinted for him, planting one foot in the brawny hands.

Then he'd been hurled upwards, bulleting toward Gyp. He struck out with both blades and they hit flesh. Gyp screamed and started to fall. Lion-O dropped and felt Panthro catch him like a toddler and put him back down. "Thanks," he said. Panthro grunted.

Gyp rolled to the ground, panting through his beak and holding one leg close to his belly. "Cheaters!"

"Look who's talking, Mutants!" Tygra called. Nfumu lurched close to him and he backed up, Lion-O jumping in to intercept, needling the thick, hairy arms. Three spots of blood appeared before the beast retreated a few steps.

Slithe had not taken to the air and Lion-O didn't intend on letting him. But now things had grown quiet and tense; two Mutants were out of the picture, if Gyp hobbling away from battle was any indicator, but the remaining two were far stronger and Tygra couldn't use his weapon while Red was bound. Lion-O handed him the canister and turned his attention back to Slithe and Nfumu. "Panthro?"

"Yeah?"

"What now?"

Lion-O realized that they were matched quite evenly when Slithe's snaking head started jabbing at them, teeth flickering as he hissed. Nfumu rounded to his back – Panthro stood there, ready to intercept – but Nfumu rammed into him and shoved the panther into Lion-O. This pushed him much closer to Slithe and those sharp teeth. Lion-O raised his swords and met the teeth, holding them away, but the ape was still pounding away at Panthro. He'd had the advantage of speed and flexibility before, but against the raw power…

Lion-O's arms were starting to shake. The teeth came closer and closer, sliding along the blades. He shoved one sword down as far as he could and struck something. Slithe roared and cracked his head back to remove himself, blood flying from his tongue.

He hadn't cut all the way through but it was enough. Lion-O sprinted to Slithe's side and rammed his blade into one of the membranes of his wing. It cut like dry leather and made a popping noise when it separated.

Slithe kicked him and scrambled away. Lion-O's organs felt like they'd been struck by a boulder and he lay on his back for a few seconds, coughing and stunned. Somewhere he heard Red yelp and hit the ground with a much lighter weight.

Nfumu's face came into his vision with that heavy mace in hand. "I'll pick your teeth out of the shards of your skull." The mace was just a great black mass directly over Lion-O's head and his hair lifted when he realized it was descending with the swiftness of death.

He rolled just enough for the mace to hit the end of his ponytail and tear out a few strands of hair. Nfumu made a sputtering noise and Lion-O lifted his head to see the length of Tygra's whip around Nfumu's neck, throttling him, and the tiger holding on the ape's head like a rider on a wild mount.

Lion-O's stomach turned when he saw Nfumu's eyes roll back but Tygra did something that shocked him; he unwrapped the whip and Nfumu sucked in a rattling breath, hitting his hands and knees. At the same time he started to shrink.

Lion-O looked to Red, who was back to his puny, sniveling self on the ground. Where had Tygra gotten a second canister? He looked at the tiger who gestured with a thumb toward the nearest wall. Lion-O followed the move and spotted Kat and Kit peering over the edge at them. There were two more vials of antimutagen in Tygra's hands. "I love those freaking kids," Tygra said.

He shot Nfumu a cold look and Panthro took the vials, heading toward the bleeding Slithe and Gyp who was simply cowering, size aside. Tygra crossed his arms and said, "So what do we do?"

Lion-O heard Gyp shriek and Panthro swear; the bird had taken his smaller size and used it to flee, flying into the air and abandoning his fellows in spite of his leg. Lion-O would have been upset but he was still feeling the sting of his hairs that had been pulled from his scalp by the mace. Three generals was pretty good in his book.

It took a moment for him to look directly at Nfumu and place his blades at the panting ape's throat. His bulk was mostly gone, leaving only the still-imposing ape. But he was on his hands and knees and his eyes seemed animal, afraid. "What are you going to do?"

"…Execute you. After all the people you've killed – all the people you've enjoyed killing – I think that's the only fair thing to do. Same for Slithe. Red will be taken in to custody." Lion-O found he was breathing hard and that his mind was racing. Why not just have him arrested too? And Slithe? No, they were too strong, they couldn't be held. But his doubt must have shown on his face, along with his desire not to kill.

Nfumu's expression was fearful, hand extending in supplication. "I surrender. I'll turn myself in. Please don't kill me. You've shown mercy so far, why not now?"

Lion-O's hands wavered, blades dropping a quarter of an inch. This was so much like Hammerhand that it was truly eerie, and his knees wanted to knock. Could he kill someone? Even when they asked for mercy? He couldn't know if he meant it…but what if Nfumu did? Could he kill even a criminal? Could he end a life? Was "what if" enough?

Lion-O had decided after Captain Masti's death that he must become stronger, harder. But at the sight of frightened, hurt eyes – eyes that knew all the things he knew – he couldn't make himself move. The shrunken ape seemed so small after his Mutation that Lion-O almost pitied him.

"Lion-O!" Wilykit had climbed down the wall to be heard. "Come on! Cheetara's got to throw the switch! Let's just take them to the investigators and-!"

Nfumu's fear disappeared like smoke, cunning black as earth in his face. He ducked forward and kicked at Lion-O's legs, sweeping them out from under him, lifting his mace as he did so. Kit screamed and rocketed toward them, grabbing the ape's side to bite him, and Lion-O saw Nfumu pick her up like a little doll and hurl her. Her head cracked on the nearby wall and his heart stopped for a full three seconds.

She fell to the ground and didn't move. Kat bawled from the top of the wall and dropped for her, and Nfumu moved without pausing toward the boy with his mace readied.

He would kill the kittens, if he hadn't killed one already. He was going to kill the children. Kill them. Kill.

Lion-O moved so quickly that he didn't quite know what had happened until the kittens were in his arms and the smell of blood on his clothes filled his nostrils. He was just aware of slicing his swords across each other and Nfumu turning just before they connected with hair and meat and the tough crunch of bone. Then the metal was free and he had sheathed his swords and was cradling Kit in his right arm and had brought Kat protectively under his left.

Silence fell and Lion-O heard Kit whimper and start to cry as she held her head. He felt his eyes start to water and thanked the Creator. Then he felt Kat shudder – one great shake from his feet to his head that remained strongest in his shoulders. "Lion-O…you killed him."

Lion-O glanced back once and saw Nfumu's body on the ground and the place feet away where his head…Creator no, don't look. He wrapped Kat in his arms and hid the boy's face against his neck. "Don't look Kat. We need to move, now."

Tygra and Panthro were staring at the corpse. Slithe had taken his chance while his wings were still halfway there and flopped unceremoniously up the wall, escaping by the skin of his teeth. He left a trail of blood behind him and Red just sat staring at them, shaking like a brittle twig. Kit started wailing with the pain and with a senseless move she grasped her head. A huge lump was coming up and Lion-O took her to Tygra. It took a minute to make the cat aware of his presence. "Take her and treat her head with some ice. I have to make sure Cheetara gets out all right."

He turned to Panthro, who had recovered in a blink. "Take Kat. Don't…let him see anymore."

Panthro took the boy who simply burrowed tightly into his arms as if he wanted to be as far from this place, this blood – this Lion-O – as he could be. As if to help them escape him one gate opened and the others left. It shut after they had gone with Red in tow and Lion-O turned away and forced himself to look at the body. Only seconds ago it had been living, breathing, sweating. Now it would rot into the ground.

No. It would be eaten by starving creatures. It was fresh meat to them, nothing more.

All he was sure of was when he took Nfumu's head – eyes still open, moderately mean and puzzled – and placed it back against the neck in a semblance of dignity. His hands were soaked in the blood; he rubbed them over the ground and stared at the bloody, claw-shaped curves in the ground.

"Creator forgive me. He would have killed the kittens…forgive me." His voice broke and he turned his back to the body and climbed up the smooth wall with the gauntlet's cords. There were places where the stone was cracked where claws had tried to find purchase. Then he dropped down the other side and ran, half-stumbling as he went to find the exit nearest Cheetara's postion.

But the smell of blood stayed with him. It was on his swords and clothes and the smell had a taste, thick in his mouth. He had killed for the first time and there was no running away from that.

* * *

Cheetara knew what had happened from the cameras set up in the lights. So when Lion-O came in she stood up and was beside him in a second.

His face had been spared most of the blood because of the mask but his hands were sticky with it. The Fangs of the West was long gone; Lion-O had returned and was going to be there for a long time. Cheetara held him in her arms for a long moment and absorbed the tremors in him.

"You okay?"

He didn't reply. Cheetara tucked her hand against the back of his head and continued, "You did what you had to. You saved the kittens. You didn't do anything wrong. Protecting the innocent isn't wrong."

Lion-O lifted his head and couldn't meet her eye. "Did you open the tunnels?"

"Yeah. I sealed the gate after the others were out and I waited for you to scale the wall and then I opened the tunnels. Come see."

Lion-O obeyed, still turned away from her. The amphitheater was filling up, the tunnel clear of doors and locks. The mutated surged toward the moonlight like bugs from under a log. "There are already investigators and politicians showing up," he observed.

"Yeah. I think Snarf went to spread the word." Cheetara paused for a minute and tilted her head, finally catching sight of Lion-O's face. His eyes were wide and dry and seemed strangely blank. "Lion-O."

He looked at her, face lit by the screens. "We probably didn't need to let them out you know. Since we're not burning the place down. I just realized that," he said quietly.

She studied his face. "…I think it'll be easier to deal with them in one pen on the surface. And how long have they been underground? The light will do them good." Cheetara had been afraid when Tygra had nearly been killed, and if anything had happened to either kitten she would have collapsed. But seeing Lion-O like this made her feel strangely calm. Calm like when she needed to fight and tear into an enemy.

Cheetara folded one hand across his forehead, swiping his bangs out of his face. "Nfumu chose to hurt innocent kids and you chose to protect them."

His lips moved but it was nearly ten seconds before he could make his throat follow suit. "It was just so easy. I didn't even think. I just moved."

"The motion was easy because you were just thinking about saving the kittens. You're not a murderer, Lion-O, so get that out of your head right now." Cheetara checked the screen and threw the switch to close the door underground. Then she took his hand. The blood was starting to dry. "Come on, we need to get above ground. They'll need our help and we have to tell the investigators what we know."

Lion-O followed her and Cheetara paused only once on the way out. A room with Mutation and gold inside it was open, door slightly ajar. Her jaw set and she muttered, "Hang on."

It took ten seconds to break the tables and send the Mutation shattering over the floor. She stepped around the broken glass and green liquid and – wanting to spite this foul trade in any way she could – she scooped a generous helping of gold into one of her packs. "I guess if we use it, it's better than these guys having it," she said. With that she and Lion-O left, her anger only slightly sated by the destruction of the vials.

* * *

"You have to be mad and talented to pull off something like this. You've got Xiame's face and Matrae's blood."

Mi-Ao sat beside Tygra, sipping a mug of tea as the investigators rushed about, busy arresting the men Panthro had locked up. Tygra had ice packs tucked into the collar of his shirt and listened to the sound of roaring from within the amphitheater. "No one is going to believe this. A few cats breaking the back of the main route of the most deadly trade in the world? You ought to be very proud Tygra. I owe you and your friends my life." Mi-Ao patted his shoulder and Tygra drained his mug.

"Ah, that's what we do. I can't believe Red was actually one of the mayors in Tropo and the owner of Haus Scarlet. Prostitution, politics, and drug trades. He had a finger in everything. Pretty cool that you're going to be taking over his office until they elect a new official," Tygra said. "Think they'll arrest any of the harlots?"

"Probably the ones that won't sleep with an official to get out of it." Mi-Ao sighed, bewildered. "Apparently I'm to convert the brothel into an inn. Some of the locals are outraged and the others are overjoyed that an outsider's to work on it. The mayors said that I showed guts and that I knew markets. That's all they want."

"Not to mention you're probably the only one they can trust not to be in the Mutation trade considering you're the only person not from Tropo," Tygra snorted.

Leaning back, Mi-Ao watched the gates to the amphitheater. They were strong and even when the mutated paced across it and pawed the bars they never shuddered. Tygra's amusement faded and he set the empty cup aside. "So give me the update. What are they thinking?"

Mi-Ao sighed. "It's only been three days. So they're not very far into the evidence, although they've tested the bones in the pit that the mutated were gnawing on and you were right; they're Nfumu's. But it looks like these merchants are all from the past six months. All the others were sent on already. The mountains are where the trail seems to lead. After that…well, the Luna forces aren't cooperating. There are laws to abide by, blockades, papers to process…communication is impossible as you well know."

The cat rubbed his forehead. "Heaven only knows where they are. We can't progress into the mountains."

Tygra nodded. "So…nobody that matches the kittens' parents were found?"

"Not that we've seen."

Unbeknownst to the kittens, the older cats had been trying desperately to find any note that might indicate if their parents were still there. A sample of antimutagen had been provided to the authorities of Tropo so they could reproduce it, but it had been done anonymously; the cats had to leave, and soon. Lion-O hadn't been comfortable with it but they didn't have enough to turn even one tenth of the merchants back to normal. Mi-Ao had vouched for the sample and even now a few of the merchants were being returned to their original forms. The glaciers would be coming into the mountains soon and they had to get through. More questions would consume more time.

The question now was what did they do for the kittens? They had believed their parents would be here, but they were possibly up north. If that was so, the cats would do everything they could to find and free everyone under the influence of Mutation, but…

Tygra sighed. Kit's bruise was already going down and she was enjoying being fussed over to a degree, but both kittens were smart. They would not be denied the truth for long. She could have been killed and there was no way of knowing what foes lay in the north. He placed his chin in his hands. Mi-Ao watched this knowingly. Tygra had discussed the matter with him.

"I could take care of them. I've children of my own, I know how. Perhaps you'll find their parents in Icla or Lune, if you follow the trail. But these are children…they can't go there. It's too dangerous."

Tygra smiled sourly. "We've brought them along so far. They're better at keeping out of trouble than we are, I assure you. But you're right. We planned to find them a place to live here if the parents plan didn't work out. They need to be somewhere safe…but they won't want to stay here. Not if there's a chance their parents are alive and trapped." He stood up slowly, feeling his neck. The bruises were nearly gone and the ice was melting, too cold for comfort. He removed it and said, "I'll see what the others think. Thanks for the offer."

Mi-Ao nodded. Tygra headed off, ignoring the investigators swarming the area and looking for the familiar door of the inn where they had been staying.

Lion-O met him at the door and accompanied him inside. It was a pleasant, wooden little building with small rooms and clean floors. It smelled like bread during the day and oak tables at night, and it reminded him of The Fancy Feline. He sighed. "So no sign of them," Lion-O said quietly.

Tygra nodded. Lion-O hadn't been talking much for the past few days and Tygra didn't want to push him. "Mi-Ao's offered to take them in. But you know they'll want to go north."

Lion-O started up the stairs and Tygra followed, tails low. "It would be safer here. We would look for anyone mutated. They don't have to come with us."

"Yeah." What neither cat wanted to say was that the kittens had grown on all of them and that it would seem colder indeed in the north knowing that they were leaving two heartbroken children behind. "You said you had a vision of them in the north with us."

"I didn't think you believed in visions."

"Maybe, maybe not. Just thinking out loud." Tygra opened the door and felt something short collide with his stomach. He grunted and looked down at a patch of bandages.

"You're back! Tygra, did Mi-Ao find out anything about our parents?" Kit turned to hug Lion-O too, hopping in place. "Panthro said you were going to talk to Mi-Ao. Are the investigators fixing a bunch of antimutagen? Where are the other mutated people?"

Tygra scowled at Panthro who returned the look. He then sighed. "Guys…Mi-Ao hasn't found anything about your parents. They were probably already sent north."

Kat was sitting by Cheetara but he stood up, meeting his sister's eyes. They seemed to commune without a word and he said, "Okay. So we go north and help more people. Right?"

His voice was lower than usual, and Tygra turned to Lion-O. It was his turn to give some bad news, withdrawn and moody or no. Lion-O sat down on one of the wooden chairs in the corner of the room and put his hands on his knees. Cheetara was sitting on the cot opposite it and Panthro was cross-legged on the floor, sitting by their blankets and makeshift beds. Lion-O looked at the kittens and said, slowly, "You guys, Nfumu would have killed you. Do you understand that?"

"Yeah. We do."

"I mean it. You're kids but these people are evil; they'll kill you if they get the opportunity. They don't care that you're young or want to find your parents. Kit, you could very easily have died." She twisted her tail between her hands as his voice grew lower, huskier with some tight emotion. "I know you wanted to help, but you ran right into danger. And the danger's only going to get worse in the north."

He shot Cheetara and Panthro a meaningful look. "I think it would be best if the kittens stayed here. Mi-Ao is willing to look after you while we search for your parents."

Kat's tail bristled but he bit his lip before speaking. "But we've been helping…"

"Yes, you have helped. You've helped a lot. But I'm scared to death of you two getting hurt. I…I think Panthro was right when he said we should have left you in Dera's Run."

At this there was a chorus of protests and Snarf – who had been contentedly kneading a place in one of the blankets – stood up and hopped to the floor. "Now wait a moment. I know you want these children to be safe, but leaving them in an abusive place wouldn't have helped anything. They've told me about it and it was dreadful."

"No, I mean with Dyre and Timbyr. They were good people and wanted to take care of you. But instead I let you come. I thought you were supposed to come. But right now, I don't care. I don't care if that's what the Sword of Omens wanted. Kit, for a second I thought you were dead because I was stupid enough to bring an innocent kid on a dangerous mission." Lion-O's claws tensed on his legs. "I never want to feel like that again. I want you two to be safe."

Kat and Kit stared at him. "But our parents…we have to find them. They aren't here but they might be north. How will we find them if we don't go with you?"

Kit's lip trembled and Lion-O sighed, opening his arms. She clambered into his lap and held his neck tightly. "Wilykit, you have to believe me; we are going to save every single person infected by this awful drug that we can. If your parents are up there, we'll find them."

Panthro said nothing and Tygra hoped the kittens' silence meant they were listening. "Hey, once everyone's turned back, you can bet the first thing they'll do is look for their families. Your parents will be asking about you guys and we'll tell them where you are! You just have to be patient," Cheetara said gently, smoothing Kat's hair.

He blinked at her. "But…we want to go with you guys."

Tygra's heart softened in surprise. "Why? We'll find your parents; you can trust us."

"Yeah, but we don't want anything to happen to you guys," Kit said. Kat elbowed her and she jabbed him back from Lion-O's knee. "Quit it!"

"You don't have to tell them that," he hissed. "It's so mushy."

"Well, I don't care! It's been scary traveling, but it's been fun too. And we like being with you guys. Nobody tried to help us before you did." Kit climbed down and looked at each of them. "You said it yourselves, we're a help. What if you need us and we're here instead of with you?"

Panthro sighed. "We'll have to do without. I'll be the first to admit you two have really come through. I was…well, wrong about you." The kittens exchanged glances. "But we've got an obligation to keep you two safe. We were lucky this time that you made it through."

"Blessed," Cheetara added. "We just…none of us could bear the idea of losing you two. It'll be a help to us – and your parents when we find them – to know you're safe with Mi-Ao."

"But will we be safe?" Kit asked.

"I think so. There'll be plenty of security now." But Tygra folded his arms as he thought about this. Considering all their enemies, perhaps this wasn't so clean cut as he'd first thought. Lion-O, on the other hand, stood up and stalked to the other side of the room. Cheetara looked at him in surprise. "Lion-O, what is it?"

He opened one of their supply satchels resting in the corner of the room and withdrew the golden gauntlet and Tygra stared as beams of golden light seemed to pour from it. Lion-O's face was drawn, angry, and he spat, "What do you want?"

The light dimmed in response and the red jewel in its hilt seemed to pulse. Tygra's jaw dropped; he hadn't seen the thing glow until now in spite of Cheetara saying she had. And yet she had lifted her hands, trying to cover her eyes as if the light were burning her. Snarf gazed at the weapon nonplussed.

"I hear it. It's…alive." All of them watched in shock as Lion-O bared his teeth and cast the sword down and flung himself away from it.

It was so quiet as the light went that Tygra didn't want to exhale. The sound would have been unbearable. Lion-O leaned against the opposite wall, elbows braced against it, back hunched. "I don't care what it wants."

Lion-O slowly straightened and picked the sword up as if he were picking up raw meat and stowed it in the bag. Kat turned from it to him and whispered, "It wants us to come, doesn't it?"

The tan throat vibrated, Lion-O showing his teeth. "It killed Araknay. I don't care what it wants. I'm not letting you kids get hurt and that's final."

With that he stormed out the door and the kittens stared after him. And after a second, Tygra followed him.

He was sitting near the amphitheater when Tygra found him ten minutes later, staring at it with glassy eyes. It was a plain wooden bench he sat on, splintery and untended. Tygra leaned over the back of the bench and said, "You know you didn't have a choice. Nfumu didn't give you one."

"I know. That's not what's bothering me. Well, mostly." Lion-O had his hood up and the goggles on, concealing his eyes and hair. Nobody paid them any mind as they ran back and forth to markets and investigators slipped through doorways.

When he didn't say anything else Tygra scraped his index claw along the rough wood. "Does the Sword of Omens want them to come along?" Lion-O stiffened. "Why do you think it wants them in danger?"

"I don't know. I don't care. They can stay with Mi-Ao." Lion-O crossed his arms and Tygra knew suddenly what one more issue was.

He rested an elbow on Lion-O's shoulder. "I'll miss the rugrats too y'know." Lion-O lifted his head sharply and his mouth shut tightly. "I know it's only been about a month since we met them but they've really grown on me. I know it's hard, but…this is the best. I guess."

"Unless Slithe or Gyp come back to Tropo and take over again and massacre the city," Lion-O said. "You know Red won't stay in custody. He'll get out somehow and come after us too." This was such a stark thing to say that Tygra bit his lip.

"Well, should we bring them with us then? You were so sure we were supposed to bring them before, and I agreed."

Lion-O lowered his head to his hands. "I was sure of a few things when we first set out. I was sure I would be able to handle this, but now I'm not." Tygra pitied him when the lion's tail snagged on a scrap of wood jutting from the bench. Lion-O stood up, tugging it loose. "I don't even want to use the Sword of Omens. I'm not in control when I use it. It's got a will of its own."

"I guess." Tygra supposed that, considering the murky history of the blade, it might have some kind of artificial intelligence inside it. It may have some alien power source. The idea that it had a sentient mind struck him as strange, but he supposed he could be wrong. "Look, if it helps you at all, I think the Sword of Omens would have killed Nfumu. He nearly killed innocent kids. Whatever you believe, that's wrong."

"I don't know if Araknay should have died. I mean, what if it turns against one of you because it doesn't like what you're doing?" Lion-O sounded embarrassed to say this and Tygra realized why he'd kept the blade tucked away all this time. It wasn't just guilt he was wrestling with, it was fear.

Oddly touched, Tygra took Lion-O's shoulders and said in a frank, low tone, "Lion-O, you need to make your own decision. But through all of Thundera's history, the Sword of Omens has stood for protection and justice. I don't have much option but to believe in some supernatural energies at this point. I don't know about the Creator, but I definitely see some dark powers at work. That Araknay girl proved it. And if you've got something bad to deal with, it only seems logical to use something good to fight it."

Tygra scratched the back of his neck, feeling sentimentality rise up. "I mean…that person was ready to die. I don't know if I would have done what the Sword of Omens did, but she died smiling. The Sword hasn't done anything but protect us, and it knows that's what you want to do as well."

Lion-O looked at him, eyes invisible behind the goggles. "I don't know everything about you, but I know you'd do anything to protect the people around you. The Sword of Omens is your best bet for succeeding. So…I guess I think you should use it. At least the blame would fall on it next time you have to make a hard choice like with Nfumu." Tygra removed his arm from Lion-O's shoulders. "I'm going to let Mi-Ao know that I think it's best the kittens stay with him. You coming?"

Lion-O lifted the goggles to his forehead, holding back his short bangs with them. "Yeah. I think so. Tygra…thanks. I know we don't believe all the same things, but I do think you give good advice."

Tygra prodded Lion-O's side. "Yeah, yeah, you'd be lost without me. Quit moping. It's the best for the kids, right?"

Lion-O didn't reply and Tygra wasn't so sure if he would have been able to either.

* * *

It took three days to reach the northern sector of the city. It shouldn't have taken them so long even without the Thundertank, but leaving the kittens with Mi-Ao had been difficult. The last dinner they shared had been strained, painful. Kat and Kit didn't speak and didn't request one of Lion-O's dumplings as they always did. Lion-O said nothing at all through the meal and when the morning came and the kittens hugged each of them, he seemed to move mechanically.

"Thanks for bringing us here. At least we got this far," Kit whispered. Kat, who hadn't spoken much since Nfumu was killed, hugged Lion-O around the neck and trembled.

Lion-o kept the Sword of Omens with him as they trekked through the city incognito. They passed great markets and universities, apartments and entire slums. Political buildings seemed cleanest of all and the smell of every kind of food in the world drifted in the streets.

None of them paid any attention. The kittens would have wanted to explore and see everything and would have taken precious minutes to look with awe on the world. Even so they moved sluggishly, all the zest gone from their group and taking longer than ever. No matter how hard they pushed their feet, the sun always seemed to set before they got anywhere.

When they left the city at last and the land grew quiet it was worst of all.

Lion-O tried not to think about it, but it was hard when Snarf just lounged dully at night instead of being hugged by a kitten or invited to one of Kit's pretend tea parties. Tursi had indeed dropped off the Thundertank in a safe place; a turtle that owned a dock outside the city had it in a safe, dry hut. "I store things for people that can't bring them into the city." His wobbly neck made his head seem to bob. For one silver the tank was theirs again.

It was still so quiet, even over the roar of the engine. Cheetara talked with Snarf but this wasn't enough to drown it out. She ended up running alongside the tank to scout ahead, reveling in the wind and road. They had miles and miles to go before reaching the mountains and Lion-O found it unbearable to sit in the tank and watch the scenery speed by. That day seemed to last forever, and when night finally fell it was a relief.

Panthro opened the trunk to load some of their supplies into it and take out the camp equipment. When he did he stood still and blinked a few times, not looking terribly surprised.

They should have expected it, Lion-O realized. One kitten's rear end was being booted by the other's foot, and both had bundled little nests into the supplies to sleep on. It was Kat who opened his eyes first as he woke, bright as embers and not sorry in the slightest.

"We had nightmares that you guys needed us and we weren't there. The dreams were the exact same. So we ran ahead and hid in here before you guys got to the Thundertank. You're real slowpokes."

Lion-O gazed at them when Panthro looked up at the sky. The Sword of Omens was silent, content, and he said, "Did you tell Mi-Ao?"

"Left a note. You should probably message him." Kit dug out the messenger pad they'd stolen from Hammerhand and gave it to the panther, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Are we in trouble?"

Lion-O said nothing. Panthro closed his eyes as if tired. "C'mon. We were about to set up camp. Go fetch the kindling, and look out for stinging bugs hiding under logs. If you're going to come you're going to get some real training."

The kittens smiled slowly, radiantly, and Lion-O took the messenger.

He couldn't help but shiver when he thought of the vision he'd received. If the kittens had gotten the same one – somehow, someway – perhaps the Sword of Omens knew what it was doing.

When he saw Snarf's face light up and heard the sound of the kids talking loudly, and that deathly silence faded away, he really hoped it did. But if it didn't, Lion-O would not hesitate the next time.

He would defend them with everything he had. Even if it meant killing again.

* * *

"I'm done with letting you handle things. You're a disgrace. It's no wonder why the Alliance has never made a successful move against Thundera."

Slithe hissed, pausing in doctoring his tongue. When he'd returned to his former shape the cut had shrunk along with his body, but stitching one's own tongue was no easy feat with broken glass as a mirror. "Because your agents have done so much better," he said, spitting blood at the communicator.

"I've been conserving resources, but no more. It's time for me to handle this. From now on you can make deliveries and collections with what little of the trade I can still salvage. I need thousands more souls to have a hope of holding the Harbinger, and you've ruined the chance I had for getting them." Her voice crackled and he heard something break; a pane of ice from the sound of things.

"I'm no errand boy!" Slithe retorted.

"Well you're no general! I'll have to send the girl out at this rate. She'll make a mess but she'll kill them all."

Slithe laughed. "They're strong enough to kill your little freaks. These cats will make short work of any Luna. I think they'll be coming close to the mountains now. How will you keep them from the pass?"

"I'm going to close it myself."

His grin ceased. "What?"

"My powers are greater than you could imagine, Slithe. And I have one more agent located outside of the pass in the south. If they take the route I think they will, he'll have a chance to thin their ranks. The delay will be enough. If I were you I would avoid the mountains. Winter's coming."

She cut off the signal and Slithe sat there on the beach in the moonlit sand. He kept stitching his tongue; Gyp would be back with fish soon, and he wanted to be able to eat by then.

Let her do as she pleased. He hated the cats, but at this point he would enjoy seeing the Luna squirm.

* * *

 **End of Episode 12**


	13. Chapter 13

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 13**

 **The Cure in the Blizzard**

* * *

"Ever get the idea that you're not welcome somewhere?" Cheetara lowered her arm. "I waved at that lady and she just turned around and ran up the path."

Lion-O scanned the path, and looked at the bleak fields on either side of it. There was plenty of green but no golden crop, no buds or flowering. With the warm weather he would have thought this area would have several harvests in the year. "Is this the only route to the pass? I don't want to alarm them."

"The only one the Thundertank can make it through without making a mess," Panthro said. He stroked the side of the vehicle and Cheetara climbed out. The roof was down because of the heat, sun baking the metal – there was a cooling system but they did their best to conserve fuel – but the air was thick and wet. It was hardly an improvement.

North of Tropo by several leagues, the pass toward the mountains was muggy this time of year, and incredibly green and shrubby. The trees were short and the odor of vegetation was overwhelming. Cheetara kept checking the bottoms of her feet, uneasy over the damp grass. "Lion-O's right, look at their fields. I think rice is the only thing growing."

"Not enough to provide all the nutrition they'd need," Tygra said. Cheetara scanned the flat land and the puddles with sympathy; rice was fine and well, but it wasn't much use for making anything more sustaining. The village likely traded for its necessary goods, and that could get pricy. Both kittens popped their heads over the dash and looked around.

"It smells weird. Is it supposed to be so smelly here?" Kat asked.

Snarf appeared too and sniffed heartily. "Yes, I think so. There's a small settlement further up the path. And I think I smell a creek, or a branch of a river. The village might fish for its other food."

"We have to pass through regardless." Lion-O fingered the Sword of Omens and Cheetara followed the motion with her eyes. "Let's just be civil."

The tank forged over the path without much issue, even as the trees thickened and the smell of water intensified. Cheetara covered her nose and Lion-O glanced to their right with a frown.

"There's the creek all right. It's big. And look at all those reeds growing. Do you think their drinking water comes from there?"

She stepped toward the side of the path, noticing that the ground inclined toward a bank. "It looks clear. And look how deep the middle is-"

The mud under her sole was slick and Cheetara suddenly fell, slipping down the incline. A few tumbles through some weeds and one great splash ended with her sputtering and hauling back to her feet, tail sticking straight out. "How's the water?" Tygra called.

Lion-O started toward the bank but she waved him back, pushing through the tall reeds with a growl. "Ugh, they stink! The water's cold too." Shaking off, Cheetara began wringing out her hair and coughed a few times. "Ow…"

"You okay?" Kit asked. Tygra tossed her a blanket so she could dry off. Nodding, Cheetara began to smooth her fur. "It really does smell weird out here."

Panthro stopped the tank suddenly and everyone looked at him. "...Something's wrong here," he said. Cheetara paused in her grooming and followed the earthy path with her gaze to see a village up ahead, one that looked as if it had once been very cozy and pretty.

It wasn't any longer. Dirty walls and dried-grass roofs looked dead, and the smell was worse as they drew closer. There was no sound of children squalling. Cheetara didn't hear merchants or farmers either, or their wives chattering. It was very quiet, and she tucked the blanket around her shoulders. Lion-O stood beside her with his hood up and his tail twitched. "It's so quiet," he whispered.

Snarf hopped out of the Thundertank, sniffing the ground with his ears and tail up, alert. "There are people inside the houses." He trotted to the nearest door and rapped a paw on it. "Hello? Is anyone there? Is something wrong in this village?"

For a moment nobody came to the dry, flaking door. Then it cracked open and a cat's face appeared, just a sliver of eyes and whiskers. "We have nothing to trade. You should leave."

Snarf frowned. "What's wrong? You don't need to be afraid of us. We're just travelers heading north."

"'North?' Like the Luna?" The cat's eyes narrowed and Lion-O approached.

"Have there been Luna here? Isn't it too hot?" he asked. Snarf stepped back to sit on his haunches beside Lion-O's feet and the cat warily pulled the door open another inch. "We're just heading toward the mountain pass."

"You really don't know about the Luna, do you?" The cat opened the door fully and his orange face seemed ratty and matted in the sunlight.

"Know what about the Luna?" Tygra had gotten out now and paced toward the building, eying everything. "What's going on here?"

Another cat came to the door, and what looked like an amphibian. Its skin was blue and green, and it looked shockingly dry and withered, large eyes filmy. Cheetara glanced at the creek; there was water, wasn't there? Why did he look so dehydrated? They all did, in fact. Their lips were cracked and Cheetara heard the doors opening slightly around the village. "You don't know of the beast? And the curse?" asked the other cat, a brown female.

Panthro grunted. "Three. Two. One."

"Do you need help?" Cheetara asked just as he said the last word. Lion-O was examining each person he could see and Cheetara had spied a little boy with patches of fur falling out behind the two cats at the door. "We don't have many supplies, but…"

"Unless you have medicine and a way to lift a curse, there's nothing you can do." The woman sounded wry, impatient. Lion-O glanced at the Sword of Omens.

"What's the curse, exactly?"

* * *

"The beast lives on the nearest mountain, further up the hills. He looks like a Luna but much larger, the size of a giantor. He has demon horns and whenever he roars he brings winter on his breath. He first came here three months ago, and he cursed the water with sickness."

The cat's name was Ocel and his wife's was Latt. He was the one speaking, walking in front of them as they progressed through the village. A few houses looked splintered, as if something huge had crashed through them, and Lion-O gave each gap a hard look. "He made these last time. The owners tried to drive him out of the mountains with torches to protect the sick and he grew angry."

As the doors opened and the buildings aired out, all of them could detect the odor of illness as it crept through the village. Lion-O caught glimpses of cats and lizards lying within walls on cots, some still and hot with fever. Many of them seemed to be jerking in sick frenzy. "You live with lizards?" Tygra asked, observing these motions.

"They fish, we grow crops. We survive well together as our ancestors settled the land. They were the first to grow sick because they swim in the waters, but we quickly followed." Ocel spoke tartly, as if telling them a story he had grown tired of. "Anytime anyone goes to the bank for water, they come down with the illness. A few have pulled through. Many have been sick for weeks, and they worsen every day."

They stopped a fair distance from the bank and Lion-O heard a humming noise. He shifted around a tree and spotted a great machine. A thick pipe fed into the water of the stream and seemed to be pulling water into a metal container. It was a very oddly shaped, spindly thing. "What's that doing?"

"Purifying water. It's the only way we get any drinking water at all." Ocel scoured it and honed in on a great valve, turning it. There was something like a faucet protruding over a clean basin near them, and fresh water poured into it. "We put it together when we realized we couldn't drink the water as it was. It's not nearly enough to drink for the whole village, let alone enough to bathe in. We survive by sharing this and drinking dew."

Lion-O watched the machine with growing confusion. "This seems more like a bacteria or microbe problem."

"Most of the village doesn't know about such things. We refer to it as a curse for them. And it moves like one, inspiring madness in its victims. We can't do anything whether it's magic or science." Ocel looked at them with his orange fur wilting. "If you think you can help us, please do. Because we're on the verge of death."

"You trust us so quickly?" Panthro seemed surprised. "What if we decided to quarantine the land and burn it?"

Ocel smiled, not pleasantly but wearily, as if he'd heard a bad joke too many times. "That might be better all things considered. Besides, what other choice do we have? Other than to die slowly."

Lion-O glanced at the others. "Tygra? You know a little more about science than most of us. What does this sound like to you?"

Tygra looked at the water for a while and Lion-O couldn't help but remember that Cheetara had fallen in. She seemed fine though, and Lion-O felt nothing from the Sword of Omens. If it were a curse wouldn't it have started reacting? "Tell me about this Luna. He brings cold with him?"

"He calls down blizzards and snow storms. I assume you noticed our meager crop?" Ocel sighed. "It's because of his ice that so little has grown. It fades with time if he returns to the mountain, but it's enough to kill our rice. The sickness started when he first arrived, and the grasses and weeds seem to feed on it."

"Why didn't you leave when you found out this place was making you sick then?"

Latt spoke now. "The Luna calls down snow whenever he pleases, and we must get inside when he does or we'll be killed by his blizzards. The sickness is what is killing us and this land; if it were gone we could recover, and fight back against him. If we enter the pass he drives us back down, and we have no way to cross the sea. Our boats would be shattered by its waves."

Tygra put his hands in his pockets, pacing slightly. "It could be bacteria. Could you get me some water samples? I have a microscope; I'm a far cry from a doctor, but I could analyze a purified sample and a regular one to see the differences. Then we can talk to those that have recovered that you mentioned. And Snarf, you know about herbs…think you can find something that would help treat fever?"

"I can certainly look around." Both of them looked at Lion-O, who knew what they were asking without hearing it.

He shrugged. "We haven't abandoned anyone yet. Why start now? Besides, maybe this Luna 'demon' will have some information we could use. Everyone keep away from the water; we can stretch our supplies to last a few days if we're careful."

Kit and Kat – who had kept close together and stuck to Panthro's side – beamed. "Yay, we're gonna help!"

Panthro didn't protest this time, looking moderately peaceful. "I'm tired of fighting the inevitable."

* * *

Lion-O didn't want the kittens near the water, so he used a bucket from a ledge over the stream to get some "tainted" water for Tygra's analysis. He'd nearly forgotten Tygra had kept the microscope from the lake base, but he found he was glad. Snarky as Tygra could be, he had a level head when it came to such things, and these villagers needed that more than anything…other than antibiotics perhaps.

Tygra also took blood samples from a few people, and within a few hours he was examining them. "I don't see anything yet, but I'll analyze it every few hours to see if something's growing. I find it very odd that the disease would affect cats and lizards the same so quickly; normally it would have to mutate to spread to different species. If it's a virus all we can do is treat the symptoms. Let's work to bring down the fevers and see if we can't improve that water device."

Whatever their misgivings, it seemed very much as if those who avoided all water save for what the village had purified stayed healthy as they listened and worked and the evening drew on. The machine couldn't process enough for dozens of people, which was why there was a dehydration issue. The amphibians in particular were weakening quickly. Lion-O had Panthro start working on it, Tygra assisting when he wasn't looking at the samples. Cheetara assisted all of them, and did what she could to comfort the people. Snarf and the kittens hunted for herbs that Snarf claimed could ease fever and discomfort, and others that could be consumed in lieu of the fish the village usually ate while waiting for their crops. They pretended they were looking for treasures hidden in the forest. Which, Lion-O supposed, they were.

He and Cheetara decided to see what the illness did and try to help treat the sick. They brought dried herbs for tea into one of the houses that contained the sick and Lion-O smelled the odor of heavy curtains containing sickly-sweet smoke. "Why are you burning that stuff?" he asked, gesturing to a nearby bowl of petals.

"To drive any sickness spirits away so they won't make things worse." The old woman's face was somber, spiritual. Lion-O glanced at Cheetara, who put down the bag of herbs. The people of this village were very superstitious, and less developed in technology and medicine than Thunderans were. It was sensible to think the odor being kept at bay might stave off sickness based on this thought process, but Lion-O thought fresh air might be better.

"If it's a curse causing this, I don't think burning the herbs has helped. Perhaps using them for cooling broths would be better. The Creator says he hears the prayers for the sick, and I'd be glad to pray with you for their recovery," Cheetara offered. The woman agreed and Lion-O followed the pair beyond the brown, thick curtains. Six cots were placed in the long, thin room and he had to squint by candlelight to see.

The one nearest him was a young lizard. He seemed to be sweating and panting, twitching as if he were having a bad dream. His amber eyes were wide open though, settling on them as they entered. A woman beside him – probably his mother – was whispering to him and wiping his brow with a wet cloth. Sweat, he realized. They had no water to spare.

Beyond him was something much worse and Lion-O drew up short, breath catching. A woman about his age was lying in the next cot but her wrists and ankles were bound to wooden stakes placed at the corners of the bed. She was staring at nothing, spittle running down the corner of her mouth. "What are you doing to her?" he asked, barely containing his horror.

"When the illness goes further they become angry, violent. She will try to kill anyone who comes close, even her father and brothers. We can't care for her unless she's bound." As if on cue the girl snapped her teeth and bared them, panting. The ropes holding her creaked as she lunged at the bonds, and the sound she made in her throat was like a storm.

The woman hurriedly stroked her brow, trying to soothe her. It seemed to work, for her eyes roved around several times before she leaned back against the cot, still breathing shallowly.

Lion-O touched the hilt of the Sword of Omens. No reaction. "How long before they die?"

"If they receive care they may last a month. If they don't, a week. She's been sick two weeks now." The woman dabbed at her mouth with a rag.

"Nothing makes us sick but getting down in the water. Not even their blood or feces. It just makes no sense." Latt was leaning in the doorway, her spotty tail flicking. "Tygra's speaking with the people that recovered. Would you like to join him?"

"I suppose so," Cheetara said. She wiped a hand across her forehead and Lion-O turned his attention to the move. Catching his glance she blinked. "I'm fine. Just warm in here."

He frowned. Cheetara sighed and pulled her hair tie out so she could bind it up away from the back of her neck. "I'm all right Lion-O. Really. Let's go help Tygra after I pray with the elder." She sat in a rickety chair by the bed and bowed her head, and Lion-O listened to the prayer with one ear.

He did believe in the Creator. Very much so. But Cheetara's faith – her loyalty – was something strong as death and he envied it a little. Lion-O shut his eyes and mouthed the end of the prayer, thinking of all the sick in the village and, in spite of her words, Cheetara herself. She'd fallen into the water after all…but she hadn't drunk any…so she should be all right, shouldn't she? Perhaps Tygra would have something over the next day or two and she could take a dose just to be safe. His stomach was a mass of nerves regardless of this, and he hoped Tygra would have noticed something in the water by now.

They went with Latt in silence. She had not reacted to the prayer at all, but the old woman had seemed slightly more hopeful. Lion-O heard Tygra as they neared the tank and one of the rickety houses the village had afforded him to examine things in. He sounded slightly irritated and Lion-O's hope that this would be a quick fix died without a word. "No, now stop asking. I'm not using sanctified tools. I don't even know if that's a thing! And holy water won't do anything!"

One of the lizards exited the hut looking scandalized. Cheetara and Lion-O slipped through the door and saw a makeshift table with the microscope on it, along with several other tools from the Thundertank. Snarf was on the floor with a basket of herbs, and he was nibbling on one of them as if to test it. "This one's good. Have someone with fever bite into it and suck out the liquid and it'll bring their temperature down for six hours. This…I think it's just a flower. Smells pretty but no medicinal qualities." He tossed it aside.

"Fine, use that one to cover the smell. It's getting to me." Tygra sounded frazzled and kept running his claws through his hair. "Have you guys noticed anything weird around the village? Any clues?"

"The illness inspires madness is what it seems. A month with care is the longest anyone lives." Lion-O looked around and saw Panthro in the corner, looking through a box of rough tools and muttering about the poor quality. "I suppose you haven't had time to really find anything yet?"

"No. The water seems clear, but I'm going to give it time to sit and cultivate any microbes. The blood I don't see anything unusual in either, although I think the temperature of the samples is high. Given the fevers that's hardly a surprise." Tygra sat down in his chair and gave Lion-O a look. "We might be here a little while, Lion-O. And not just because these people need us. I've been talking to Ocel and he says that no one is able to enter the pass toward the mountains without a blizzard starting. That's their main exit from the area. Whoever this Luna is, he doesn't want them getting near the mountains."

"So he's probably part of the group that's been heckling us," Cheetara said, kneeling beside Snarf and helping him with a particularly sticky leaf that was stuck to his paw. "Do you think that's where the disease came from? Why would they make a village sick?"

"I have no idea. It doesn't make sense to me. Maybe they wanted to test a biological weapon or something," Tygra said darkly. Lion-O checked over his shoulder for the kittens.

"They're fine. I have them picking berries right now. They're in the village," Snarf said, reading the move and wiggling his sap-covered paws. "So we can't get to the mountains to reach the north until we deal with this threat. The villagers say they haven't seen the Luna in three weeks but that it will snow faintly sometimes."

Lion-O looked through the door and frowned. "He calls up blizzards? That could be a source of water if we deliberately make him angry."

"It's being considered," Panthro said. "I took a gander at their purifying system. I can make some adjustments to improve its speed but I don't want to build an entire new one; we wouldn't be able to test it. And I can't alter the other one too much since I don't want to cut off their only supply of fresh water."

Cheetara took the plants Snarf offered and stood up. "These poor people…everywhere these traders go they spread more pain and death," she said with quiet outrage, claws shredding the leaves. "Has the Sword of Omens reacted?"

He lifted the silent blade in answer. "Not at all. I think it is an actual illness, but after the message we saw with the Luna woman, I don't believe we can rule out curses as being contributing factors."

Tygra scowled. "Curses. I only know about how to deal with what's real. I can't do anything about voodoo curses and crazy stuff."

"I'm not asking you to. I just want you to discover what you can about this and try to help ease the suffering here. I'll look for the Luna and Cheetara…?"

Lion-O turned to her. She had wiped her forehead again and in spite of her good color Lion-O's stomach dipped. Her voice was clear as she said, "I'll stay in the village and help tend to the sick. Say prayers, clean, bring water. If you see anything you need to call for us."

"Don't worry. I won't try to handle him alone. If he really made those holes in the walls, he's no pushover." Lion-O tried to sound confident as he added, "We can do this. We've handled everything that's been thrown at us so far, and this won't be any different."

* * *

Three days and six deaths later, all of their spirits were low and Tygra's temper had shifted from worried to inflamed. He brooded over the samples, testing the effects of herbs and plants, cursing frequently when nothing seemed to happen. None of the survivors of the illness could explain why they had pulled through. They had only sickened a little for a short while and then improved greatly. Oddly they had turned violent quickly until the fever broke. Tygra tried to examine their blood but it showed no differences. He would need DNA samples to test any further and he had no machinery capable of doing something so intricate. Only Lune or the Imperial City itself had such advanced supplies.

Panthro managed to get the machine producing more clean water. The reeds were still and silent as the clear-seeming water pumped into the machine, and it improved the water supply a good deal. People still had to stretch but tongues were no longer burning and cracked. A few children managed to play outside with the kittens.

Cheetara prayed and tended the sick, and her kind nature seemed to soothe some of the most terrified and anguished. One dying man had held her hand as she spoke a funeral rite from the scriptures and told her she was the Creator's messenger sent to help them gently home. Then he died and she had to work to free her hand from his vice grip. She cried afterwards and Lion-O gazed into the sky as she buried her face in his neck, wondering if the Creator was watching it.

The kittens were spared the worst. They scrounged and gathered plants and food, running errands and helping Panthro fix the walls that had been broken. Snarf mixed medicine with Tygra and scouted the forest, sniffing for the Luna. He found occasional frost spots but never actually saw anyone.

Lion-O explored the area and did what he could to help each of the other cats. If Tygra needed more water to examine he fetched it, or if Cheetara needed clean rags he brought them. Sometimes he felt that if he only looked around quickly enough he would see a beast watching him but there was never anything there. He told Snarf to stay with the kittens at all times and ordered them, under the threat of never being able to have any of his dumplings, ever, to remain in the heart of the village and stay safe.

None of them wanted to consider leaving the village to die, but as the sunsets ticked away, they knew it was only a matter of time before something happened. It would have been wiser to leave quickly. Lion-O tested the idea that the mountain pass was guarded only once; as soon as he started up the trail he heard a distant, echoing roar and the temperature dipped. Flakes of snow descended into the lush greenery and he turned around and headed back to the village. The flakes stopped but the mountain above them wafted cold down on them for the next hour.

Cheetara heard Tygra cuss when she opened the door and winced. "Do you need another water sample?"

"I've got six samples in here and none of them are telling me anything! No, I don't need another." He had sat down in a chair with a scowl and his tail whipped from side to side. "There is literally nothing in the water that could be causing this. What am I supposed to do about this stuff if it's magic? Of all the stupid Ghen-holes we had to run into…"

Cheetara opened the door a bit. "Look, why don't you rest? Let Panthro look at these. Some of the people here are going to pray with me, and after that I'll set some tea on-"

"Oh Ghen, Cheetara! Praying…how many times have you prayed in the last week? How many times has it helped?" Tygra stood up and Cheetara was quiet, wiping her forehead. She got warm too easily lately, but she told herself it was just nerves and the environment. Because it couldn't be anything else. She wouldn't let it be.

After a minute she contained herself and made her voice solid. "I'm not asking you to pray with us. But I think it helps them to think the Creator is listening."

Tygra was generally good-humored, but his face was tired and drawn right now, and nothing was more cutting than a sour tiger. Their tempers were renowned and Cheetara saw his yellow eyes narrow. "You seriously buy that?"

She sighed. "I do. And even if you don't, it gives them hope."

Lion-O was approaching, and she turned in time to see his familiar hood come down. "The trail is frosty. I didn't go very far before it got hazardous." He paused, seeing Tygra's dark expression. "Tygra, have you slept at all?"

"No, I'm working on this. Cheetara's off to prayer, so everything'll be fine in five minutes I'm sure." Tygra kicked the chair over and Cheetara crossed her arms. "Who needs medicine, the sainted Creator's listening, right? Oh, but everyone's still dying? I wonder why. Maybe he gets his kicks that way!"

Lion-O stared at Tygra in confusion. "Look, I know you don't believe, but you've never been like this about it. You need rest."

"Every time I go to sleep, someone else dies. And then I think, 'Maybe if I'd just stayed up I would have figured this out and they'd be okay.'" Tygra was definitely exhausted and Cheetara tried not to lean on the doorway. She felt warmer than ever and put her teeth together, trying to keep quiet. "If you want to help, run some of these sample herbs to the sick houses nearby. Maybe something in them will help. Ghen, if it kills them faster it might be better than watching them waste away. Oh, thank the Creator for small mercies!"

He snorted and Lion-O took the basket and gave him a long look. "These people need care Tygra, not hate and anger. Get some sleep and we'll have Panthro look over some of these for a while. You've done all you can."

Tygra returned the look and finally rubbed his eyes. "…All right. I…whatever."

Cheetara watched him sit in the corner and lean on his knees with misery. She didn't know the Creator's ways in everything, and what Tygra said hurt. Not because he said it, but because he was saying it just to spite her. He was only exhausted and upset, but Cheetara's throat ached a little when she took one of the baskets. She had to swallow and wondered if the Creator was listening.

Lion-O walked beside her and said, after a moment, "He's very upset he hasn't found anything."

Cheetara nodded, watching the dirt path under her feet. It felt hot and dusty, and she blinked when it seemed to blur. She didn't want to cry, not when Tygra probably hadn't meant what he said. "I think I'll start looking through the samples too. He needs more rest. I think you should go get some sleep after the prayer too." He seemed to delicately consider his words before adding, "I think it helps. I don't why this is happening, but praying sure can't hurt anything. So don't let what he said get you down. I don't think he even means half of it."

She forced herself not to consider the idea that Tygra might be right, that the Creator didn't care. He did. She knew it. He had to. Even in the darkest places there was a little light, and she believed in that with everything she had.

Cheetara stumbled. "Cheetara? What's wrong?"

What indeed? Her tongue was pounding and her knees buckled, the herbs spilling from her basket as she tripped. Lion-O grabbed her and pulled her into a sitting position. "Cheetara? Cheetara!"

So hot. So bright and hot. She covered her face to hide from the sun and jerked, trying to push away from the hot ground, from the hot sun, from the hot arms holding her up. His arms were warm, suffocating like the sun and the air and her blood. Lion-O cursed and it was the first time she'd ever heard him do it out loud. She felt as if his clean mouth had been sullied. "Ocel! Latt! Panthro! Cheetara's sick!"

She opened her mouth and hissed, almost ready to smack him if it would just get those too-warm arms away from her. Lion-O picked her up – he smelled of herbs and it made her head pound – and started running. The breeze was welcome but Cheetara just bared her teeth at nothing, wishing her mind would work instead of melting into a haze of angry sickness and something with the consistency of hot butter.

But melt it did, and she was aware of nothing else for the next several hours.

* * *

"She didn't drink any of the water."

Tygra sat beside the bed, claws digging into the wood of the chair. "She fell in but she never drank it. These people told us everyone who caught it drank the water."

"Did they?" Panthro had put one great palm on her forehead and his face wrinkled with something like worry. "She's warm. If she starts acting nuts it's the same thing they've got. It can't be airborne because none of us have come down with it. Ghen I should've spent some more time in the med bay when I was training…"

Both kittens stood on the other side of the bed, tails literally dragging the ground as they stared. Cheetara's lips kept moving as if she were about to say something but her eyes never opened. "She's…gonna be okay, right?" Kit asked. "She'll get better, won't she?"

Tygra opened his mouth and shut it, standing up too quickly and nearly hitting Lion-O on the way out. "I'm going back to the samples. I must be missing something. Maybe she'll be one that pulls through really quick."

The bed was neat and small, and Cheetara might have had a plain fever if not for their surroundings. So many people rolled in their sheets, and in the next room he heard the violent ones spitting in anger. Cheetara lay under a thin blanket, eyelids flickering as dreams rolled. Lion-O tried to swallow and found he couldn't.

Cheetara had fallen into the water. He should have known she would get sick. His insides screamed at his mind but logic ruled for one thing; what could they have done any earlier? How would they have been able to stave off this strange disease? They knew nothing about it. Lion-O saw her fingers twitching and reached for her hand.

Panthro suddenly cut the move off. Lion-O shot him a look of confusion, fur lifting. "You can't catch this. You understand? We won't take any more risks. If there's even a chance you can catch this from contact…"

Panthro's eyes were still hard but the corners of his mouth seemed less like knives than usual. "She's tough, we've got time. You and I are going to help Tygra, so just keep calm."

Lion-O gave her one more look – her eyelashes seemed wet against her cheeks – and nodded. He wanted to punch Panthro for being right. "Right. Kat, Kit, stay away from the water and help gather herbs and plants for Snarf. Cheetara's going to be fine."

He almost convinced himself of it. The kittens ducked their head in determined nods and bustled out the door. Snarf, who had merely sat at the foot of Cheetara's bed for several long minutes, rubbed his furry side against her ankle and hopped down after them.

Two days passed. Four people died and Cheetara was not among them.

Lion-O brought broth – it cooled the insides and consisted chiefly of certain mints, purified water, and a few Snarf secrets – and let Snarf take the bowl. The little fellow had been sitting beside the bed watching her, curled up to rest after foraging for hours. "No luck?"

"None. There's no bacteria at all. Tygra passed out so Panthro's experimenting now. He just shoved Tygra's chair over so he could get to the samples."

Lion-O was still not allowed to touch her and he had nearly hauled off and clawed Panthro when he said – for the sixth time – to let Snarf give her the broth. "He's a different species, so he's least likely to take sick." He wanted to snarl that it affected lizard and cat alike, but it would have made no difference.

Snarf had no qualms with this. He tilted the bowl to her lips and Lion-O watched to make sure the majority dripped slowly into her mouth. She swallowed automatically and he counted the droplets that fell from her chin. She sighed when the bowl was done and might have opened her eyes a crack. "She's warmer than before."

Why would the Creator let someone so kind and faithful get sick? Lion-O mouthed another prayer and wondered darkly if Tygra upsetting her had made her pass out in the first place. It had probably been a contributing factor. That wouldn't be the Creator's fault but Tygra's.

Not that he would ever say that to Tygra. He was suffering enough already. The look on his face when Lion-O put Cheetara on the cot had been stricken. Lion-O mentally scolded himself for thinking it at all. Soon all of them would be snapping and spitting at each other.

Lion-O claws twitched as she turned her head and hair fell over her face like damp straw. He wanted to brush it back. Snarf did it for him, very neatly with his tiny paws. Then he shook his furry head. "I didn't mean to get attached to any of you, you know."

Lion-O glanced at him. "Really. I liked you all and thought you very brave, but I wanted to just stay like that. I didn't know what would happen if I got invested in your lives." Snarf's tail flipped back and forth. "Now I'm afraid I care too much. I've not had friends before, save Sarfina."

Cheetara coughed and her eyes opened wider. Snarf jumped. "Cheetara? Can you hear me?"

She blinked several times and focused on Snarf. Her lip curled and she hissed at him, spitting between bared teeth. Snarf scooted back in alarm. "Oh no…"

Lion-O forced his legs to hold him in spite of his muscles suddenly feeling like water. It was the same illness as all the others, but that came as no shock. She rolled onto her side, slowly, as if she were dizzy. "Cheetara, it's Lion-O. Can you understand me?"

She said nothing, breathing hard and slowly shutting her eyes and slipping back into her fevered sleep. "…We should tell the others," Snarf said. Lion-O nodded, but his mouth fell open an inch. Snarf prodded him. "What?"

"You weren't with us in Rana Village. But…"

Lion-O dared to brush back her hair and tugged one eyelid back to check her pupil. Dilated, as if she were awake and tense. He stood there for a minute, and then he suddenly flung himself to the door, sprinting. "Stay there! I think I just realized something!"

Snarf sat at Cheetara's side dumbfounded, watching the door swing shut.

* * *

"How would they have altered Mutation enough to disperse it in a creek?" Tygra looked like an old man hunched by the machines, leaning on the table with his palms flat.

"I don't know. They planned on using a gaseous form to infect people in Tropo, why not in the water too? It would make sense of why people get violent, and why there aren't any bacterial cultures in the stream. Barring a virus, it's the only thing I can think of." Lion-O rummaged through his pack and brought out a canister of antimutagen. Its rich purple sloshed from side to side in the glass. "Can you imagine how many people they could infect if they could put it in the water supply? They…they could infect a whole planet if it could maintain its chemical form in water."

"I haven't found any signs of it in the water samples. Besides, it would require a lot of water being drunk to make up for the dilution. That's assuming Mutation particles can maintain their chemical structure in water, which I doubt." Tygra watched Lion-O search the bag. "We can't afford to waste antimutagen on something that might not work. How much do we have left after all we've done?"

"Only a couple. We're running out." Lion-O stood up with the vial and continued, warily, "I have the recipe for antimutagen in the Thundertank. We had no way of knowing how far the drug had spread, and we only had so many resources on hand in the Imperial City. No one thought it would be this bad, but we wanted to be prepared."

Tygra tapped his claws on the table. He looked drawn and pale, and Lion-O wondered at what it would be like to have a sibling fretting about him like Cheetara and Tygra. They fought so much but it was plain they cared, and it made his heart warm and feel hurt at the same time. What had happened to Tygra that he'd gotten so attached to a merchant family? "You really think this is caused by some Mutation derivative?"

"Maybe. We can test it anyway, can't we?" Lion-O turned the canister over and over in his hands. "We have to do something. I'll get the list and see what we can do."

Tygra turned away. "Fine. I'm not finding anything so far, so shooting people up with antimutagen is actually starting to sound good."

At any other time Lion-O would have tried to reassure him, but time was their most valuable asset now. He left the room after a moment of hesitation and headed out to the Thundertank. Panthro was looking through the back for something and Lion-O called to him, telling him in undertone about his idea.

Panthro said nothing until Lion-O was finished. "It's interesting, but we're still in a bad spot. If the water's got some kind of Mutation leak, we'd need to get the people out of here to where they could get enough clean water and crops to survive. We can't go south because the ocean's there and Tropo would be a wreck trying to deal with refugees from a diseased area, and we can't go north because of the Luna. And climbing the mountains in the east or west would be suicide for these villagers. And what are the chances of this area having just the ingredients we need to synthesize more antimutagen?"

Lion-O's hopes dwindled more and more with each sensible, deathly word. "Most of them are common derivatives from nature. Only a few are rare." He drew the carefully folded page out but he didn't go back in, just looking at it. "…If I used my authority I could have everyone here taken care of," he said suddenly. "Call in doctors, medicine, the best treatments."

Panthro jerked up from the trunk and gave him a scrutinizing look. "Lion-O…I know this is hard. But you know why we can't do that."

"I know!" Lion-O didn't mean to growl and he looked away. "I know."

Panthro paced to where he was standing. "You want to help these people. And anyone with half a brain can see you care about that girl. But this ain't something you have a choice about. It's difficult, but you've got to keep this secret. If it comes down to leaving this village…"

Lion-O glared at Panthro. "I get it, okay? 'No matter what, no one can find out.' Even though they couldn't give me a reason, I have to swallow my questions and listen. I've done it all my life, I can do it now. Just help me and Tygra look this list over, okay? We're nearly out of antimutagen anyway."

The minutes trickled by and he counted each one as they examined the list and Lion-O worked to convince them to let him try using a canister to test his theory. "I don't want to waste it but this is the only idea we've had in days."

In the end they agreed. Ocel and Latt listened to the plan with some skepticism but offered to let them try administering antimutagen to one of the sickest in the village. "If it helps, well and good. If it does nothing or kills him, it's no worse than before." The cat was older, gray and black with his fur growing in uneven patches. He was so weak he couldn't sit up even to snap at them, and Latt said, "He's been sick three-and-a-half weeks. His time is coming."

"It shouldn't hurt him no matter what," Panthro said doubtfully. Lion-O did not think a whole canister ought to be used, so he used a needle to draw out half. It felt wrong to test his thoughts on a living person, but Lion-O pressed the needle in and fought his shudder. It clicked like a trigger.

For five minutes the cat simply sat still, lying in the sheets. Then he shut his eyes and started to snore, softly. "He's asleep," Ocel observed, confused. "A peaceful sleep. Check his temperature."

Tygra checked it with a flip of the hand against his brow and then his neck. He drew his palm away and blinked. "He's sweating. And his temperature is going down."

The fever had broken.

Lion-O heard Ocel and Latt begin to whisper in awe but cut them off. "Don't say anything yet. We know the antimutagen helps, but it doesn't solve the problem of having enough for the village, or fixing the water issue. And he might relapse." Reluctantly he showed them the list of components. "Do you have most of these plants present in the area? If you do, help Snarf find them and bring as much as you can. We might be able to find a way to mix them to help the others."

Heart racing, Lion-O began giving out orders with new life, for everyone suddenly looked to him, ravenous for hope. Ocel and Latt were only too happy to acquiesce, and Tygra no longer groused; he seemed to have rallied under the opportunity to do something. Panthro went to check their equipment to see if they had the tech they needed. "I knew it wasn't some crazy curse," Tygra said, light returning to his eyes. "Those particles might be smaller than the microscope could pick up. No wonder I couldn't…"

All the while Lion-O thought of all the sick people in the village and Cheetara most of all. If this worked they'd be all right. His chest loosened with relief. He wanted to immediately run to Cheetara and give her a dose but he looked at the half-full canister and knew he had to wait until they returned with the supplies. Cheetara was strong; there were villagers at death's door even now. She wouldn't want him to save her at the expense of someone else.

He literally sat on his hands to keep himself in place.

Snarf bounded through the door to the hut where Tygra's research was, carrying a mouthful of broad leaves. These he deposited on the ground. "The forest contains the items used to form the antimutagen serum. The Thundertank can be used to apply the necessary temperatures from the formula. There's just one problem."

Lion-O picked up the leaves and set them on the table. "What's that?"

"Well, two problems actually. The first one is that we can't find one of the plant derivatives we need. Ocel and Latt say it grows in the forest but we haven't found it yet. The other is that even if everyone grows well again, the water will remain an issue. There simply won't be enough for the people to live here. And we don't want them to get infected again. So we have to find a way to either fix the water or get them past the Luna. Neither of which would be good for time."

Lion-O mentally checked off each ingredient they had, stopping on the one item they didn't. "A Medella Fern? Have you ever heard of it?"

"Certainly. They tend to grow in wet areas with relatively warm climates, and I believe they're cultivated as house plants in the west, along with being used for medicinal purposes. There's no good reason it shouldn't be here, but if it's further into the forest then we might run into the Luna." Snarf shook his head. "Tygra says that it's the most important component from his view. It should be the active ingredient that breaks down the Mutation stored in the body by non-Mutants. For lack of a better word."

Lion-O nodded, checking the gauntlet for the Sword of Omens. "I wonder if it'll be willing to show me a vision in a dire situation like this?" he asked wryly. Snarf shrugged and Lion-O lifted the blade, glancing over the unscarred stone. "Sword of Omens, please, please give me sight beyond sight."

Snarf's fur seemed to puff up with static when the sword twitched and Lion-O winced; using the blade was difficult, as its visions flickered now and it seemed to sense he feared it. But for once it gave him a vision that he really needed, a patch of dark red fern leaves sprouting out of a dead stump. It grew deeper into the forest along with more swatches in the shade. "I think I can find it. Come on Snarf, you and I are going to go find some."

Panthro was already gathering a few well villagers in small groups and arming them with knives and telling them how to avoid a large enemy. "Holler and scream and we'll come running. We're looking for the Medella Fern."

"It's red, and some should be growing around detritus from the forest," Lion-O added. Panthro gave him a sharp look and he shrugged in reply. They didn't have to know how he knew. "Kittens are staying here to assist Tygra, don't get anywhere near the water. Everyone needs to check back in one hour. The forest isn't that big."

"Would the fern grow on the mountain?" asked a woman.

Snarf shook his head. "In damp places with dead plants. They also need warmth to grow healthy. The Luna might leave you alone if you avoid the mountain pass, so give it a berth." He then trotted toward the looming trees and flicked his tail. "Come Lion-O. I'll hunt along the ground."

He all but ignored the men that explored with him, hunting for the stump he'd seen in his vision. An hour passed and then two. Snarf's nose was sensitive, whiskers twitching as he snuffled through the grass and undergrowth. "I don't like this," he said suddenly. "There's no smell of a processing area or metal. How is Mutation getting pumped into the water? There must be a source if it's still making people sick and being washed away."

"Why aren't we picking up any particles is what I'm wondering. Of all the samples Tygra's taken, we should have spotted at least a little in the water, even just a random clump," Lion-O said. The odor of the trees grew thicker and he stopped. "Look."

Snarf spotted what he gestured to and his tail writhed happily. "There it is!" He bounded forward and plucked the leaves from the rotten stump, sniffing them heartily. "Ah, good specimens. We can transplant these roots to encourage growth in the village." With careful paws and tail he took parts of the other swatches, leaving enough to grow again. He turned around and started waddling back on his hind legs, carrying the precious ferns with care.

Then he jumped forward just in time to avoid being crushed by sapling being snapped in two like a stick, rolling into Lion-O's ankles. Lion-O scooped him up and drew the Sword of Omens, feeling a sudden chill hit him as more trees fell, roots digging up and trunks plummeting. The other ferns were covered in dirt and trees; it would take hours to dig them out now, hours they didn't have.

The beast that had knocked down the tree seemed puzzled, looking for splattered Snarf presumably. Lion-O's brain took in little details – the long, cracked horns, the giantor-height and girth, the pale violet and blue of his skin – and took two steps back. The tiny eyes under the sloping brow seemed like a dumb animal's, mostly black and barely visible. His jaw was incredibly heavy and his teeth hung out slightly, and he dwarfed Nfumu. His clothes were black and brown, pieces of leather and animal skins sewn together carelessly. And on his wrists he had metal bracers, round metal coverings protruding from them and protecting his knuckles as he shifted on all fours. His back legs seemed slightly squashed, deformed, and when he spotted Lion-O he growled. The shape of the body was somewhere between beast and person, and the bullish nostrils flared.

Snarf huddled into Lion-O's elbow. "Run."

Lion-O took off in the opposite direction, tucking Snarf to his side so the creature could hang on to his belt. The Luna – he must be a Luna of some kind, though he'd never seen such a monster in his life – followed more slowly, charging relentlessly. He could hear trees shattering behind him as he ran, ducking between them and trying to think of what to do. If he could find a good place to get some leverage, he could probably cut the creature's legs to make it stop-

Something massive closed on the back of his cloak and Lion-O yelped, lifted from the ground by the creature. He was shaken twice as if a giant were trying to pop his limbs out of their sockets and Snarf fell from his side, the ferns tumbling out of his little paws. The Luna made a pleased, grunting noise and hurled Lion-O into the brush. Stunned, Lion-O rolled over and staggered to his feet only to see the Luna taking off, lumbering quickly away.

Snarf shook himself and tried to hobble after him, hind leg twisted. "No! He's got the Medella!" Foot hovering, Snarf buckled and yowled in anger. "Go! We need the fern!"

Lion-O didn't have to be told twice. He started running, feet a blur through the grass and over fallen logs left in the Luna's aftermath.

The cats that had been trailing along with him just gawked in terror before running to find Panthro. Snarf limped after them, bawling Snarf-curses.

If Lion-O had been paying attention, he would have remembered barreling through the village after the Luna and felt the splinters of wood digging into his feet from shattered walls and smashed fences. He might have heard Tygra yell and grab the kittens, dragging them out of the path of the oncoming force and the screams of civilians running indoors.

All his focus was dedicated to not losing the Luna. That might be the only Medella Fern in the forest and Lion-O wanted it back. They couldn't dig up more right now. And even if there were more, what right did this beast have to take something that would help sick people? None at all. Why had he grabbed the Medella anyway? Why make these people sick in the first place? His mouth opened to pant as he sped up, feet pounding and leaving blood smears on the grass. It added fuel to his fire and Lion-O moved like an angry bird of prey after a creature that had attacked its chicks. He fused with the air in his run, shifting into a predator, sleek with fury and pursuit.

The grass turned to rock and he felt the ground slope upwards; they were heading into the mountain pass. The Luna's greater weight made him slower and Lion-O leaped forward, swinging the Sword of Omens. He nicked the Luna's leg and the creature snarled, turning around and lowering his head. Lion-O ought to have drawn up in alarm but his response surprised even him; he bared his teeth and roared back. The sound echoed, tearing through his throat and bouncing back from the stone.

The Luna hopped backwards, eyes widening. He made several questioning grunts and Lion-O's fierceness lessened slightly as he realized the thing was actually afraid of him. "Give back the fern," he ordered hoarsely. The roar skirted his low voice.

But the Luna only stomped and pitched back his large head and let loose a guttural howl, throat working like a pump to make a curious, heavy noise. Lion-O covered his ears and felt the temperature drop by fifty degrees in a second

A tearing wind kicked up and Lion-O saw clouds explode overhead into a whirling snowstorm, tumbling down on them. His sweat froze in a second. The Luna took off again and Lion-O was hot on his heels. If he lost the thief in this storm he'd never find him, and the Medella would be gone.

A thin layer of snow crunched beneath his feet, numbing the scratches on them. So the Luna could cause blizzards after all. Lion-O tried to think of a way to stop the pursuit and recklessly shoved his hand into the gauntlet and lifted it, firing the cords at the Luna's back. It took three tries and about a hundred more long, frozen paces before they tangled around the legs and arms, sending the Luna sprawling with a bellow.

At last he caught up and Lion-O slowed enough to realize his lungs were burning. The Luna was already back on his hands and feet, grimacing and pulling himself free. "Give back the ferns."

Showing his teeth, the Luna struck him in the stomach with an open hand. The impact took just long enough for Lion-O to realize the strength of the beast – and how foolish it had been to come out here on his own – and go flying, breath struck from his body. His back hit the ground and he bounced before coming to a full stop. Lion-O gasped, unable to feel air moving in and out for a torturous moment.

He forced himself back up. The Luna couldn't get away. If he did…

That plant was what they needed to cure these people. Cheetara's life was riding on this. Her damp hair and the crinkle of her pained brow seemed more real to him then than the earth beneath his feet. Lion-O ran at the creature, newly infuriated by the gall of it. How many people had to die and suffer because of this trade, because of these experiments?

The Sword of Omens struck true this time, cutting into the arm as it lunged for him. He coiled around it, dancing in the snow and whirling again to jab. Lion-O had never had the bad habit of poor breathing during a duel, but this was a fight in frigid temperatures now and his breath came like smoke out of a broken chimney. The Luna roared again as he delivered bruising swats to Lion-O's sides and the snow intensified into a thick blizzard. The cold grew worse, dropping and dropping until Lion-O felt ice forming in his fur.

He still didn't stop. He couldn't have ever said later how long they fought, but suddenly he felt something different when the blade hit; the Luna fell back, clumsy and thick, and the ferns fell crumpled from one massive fist. Something had happened to a tendon, and the Luna had started, sitting on its rump like a dumb animal.

Lion-O had to catch himself to stay the blade. He was angry and his chest was hurting, expanding in the white, icy world and contracting again. "You. Do you know. How many people. Have died?"

Lion-O's hand tightened on the Sword of Omens. The Luna sat staring at him and his blood was a lovely purple on the snow. It was already an inch thick and Lion-O could barely see him under the powder. Only those beady dark eyes really stood out. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

To his disgust the Luna shuffled backward, pushing up snow as he moved. "What, you think you can just run away after this? Why did you want the ferns? Answer me!"

He lifted the sword until it was perfectly level. The Luna stopped, staring at it with new fear. "Tell. Me. Why."

Lion-O had never been so angry in his life, save for when Nfumu had nearly killed Kit. That anger had been a flash; he hadn't noticed it until the deed was done. The blood pounding in his arm was hot, even though he was rapidly chilling in the wind, and he moved so the blade was in front of the Luna's face.

The Luna looked at him almost dolefully. "Mama say to."

His voice was softer than Lion-O expected and as deep as a snowdrift. His jaw moved sloppily, and his words slurred. Lion-O's eyes narrowed. The Luna whimpered. "Who is 'Mama?'"

"Mama Luna. Tell 'Amok watch what happen in village. Report. Stop cats.' So take cat's plants." Amok, if that was his name, huddled into a hulking mass, taller than Lion-O even curled up and cried, "Want Mama!"

Looking at him now Lion-O knew he couldn't possibly be a regular Luna. Something was wrong about him. And he sounded so dim wailing for his mother – whoever she may be – that Lion-O lowered the sword. Amok didn't charge or attack. He just sniffled and tried to scuttle backwards.

Lion-O had to get back to the village. The ferns were lightly frosted now but he scooped them up and tucked him into a pouch on his belt. Giving Amok another look, Lion-O tried to find the anger in his heart to do what needed to be done. "…Why are you working with 'Mama?'"

Amok's lower lip trembled. "Love Mama."

"And she sent you out here? On your own?" This Luna-being, he realized, ought not be alone. He could speak but only just, and he acted so much like a lost child. He whimpered and hid his great face in his hands, nails slate gray and cracked. Lion-O would get no more information from Amok; it would be wisest to kill him so he wouldn't get in the way, or report back. Stupid he may be, but he was dangerous.

Amok just kept crying for Mama. Lion-O watched him and his eyes flicked to the Sword of Omens. Ignorant or not, the Luna had caused the deaths of many villagers. He was so simple though; could he have known? Did he realize even now what he'd done?

He had killed Nfumu and he could kill Amok.

He could. He could.

"Did you want to hurt those people?" Lion-O couldn't help but ask.

Amok seemed confused. "People sleep. Sleep bad?"

This was so ridiculous that Lion-O laughed, sour and chill.

He weighed the blade in his hand and then sheathed it. "Go on home. Leave this place. You'll make it through the mountains fine."

Amok gave him a stupid look, as if he'd invited him to tea. "Go away. You let these people wander their land. I don't want to see you here again. And stop making blizzards!"

Lion-O made clipped shooing motions at him and Amok waddled back on all fours like a chastened pet. His legs really were deformed, curved and club-like. Lion-O would not feel pity but he fought something hot growing in his throat. "Go. Go home."

His face had lost all feeling and Lion-O realized he was sleepy. Not a good sign. Stumbling, he started running back toward the village, hoping that as he put distance between himself and Amok the snow would cease.

"Mama Luna?" "Ma?" Tug-Mug had claimed they were working for his mother and he'd seen the images of the aged Luna in the messenger; what kind of woman was she, sending her children into these places where they might easily die? As if they were as expendable as pawns in chess…

* * *

Tygra had never seen the like. Minding his own business, grinding up some ingredients to mix for antimutagen, he'd been quite focused when a gargantuan, freak Luna came barreling through with Lion-O sprinting after him like a fiend. He'd grabbed the kittens, gawking with them as it smashed through walls and fences, leaving splintered wood and cracked mud stone everywhere. Lion-O had never faltered, pursuing him up into the pass.

And then the snow had started, falling silently over the village out of what had previously been in a clear day. Swelled, puffy clouds had dropped snowflakes for an hour before stopping, just long enough to make half an inch. Panthro arrived with Snarf, livid that the Luna had run off and Lion-O had followed. It took an hour to calm everyone.

Before they could enter the pass, the snow was already melting and Lion-O came down the way.

His whole body was covered in frost, making him look like a white lion. He shivered and shook, mouth sealed shut as he entered the village. His hands seemed unable to open, tail stiff with ice. Snarf hobbled to him in horror and the kittens ran to his sides. "Lion-O! Are you-?"

He extended his hands and offered a pouch filled with crisp, cold Medella leaves. He smiled and then buckled, numb and unconscious in the middle of the town square.

Panthro picked the lion up and carried him to find a bed and some way of treating his injuries and the beginnings of hypothermia. Tygra dared not waste any time; he rushed to his shed where he'd been grinding ingredients and had the kittens get the recipe for him.

The antimutagen was their only chance.

Snarf's tail curled up as he stretched, examining the bandages on Lion-O's feet and chest for blood stains before nodding in satisfaction. "Soup broth and blankets have warmed him up right."

"Well, the whole village should be back on its feet in a matter of days." Tygra drew a healthy syringe full of antimutagen – fresh as spring, purple as a new violet blossom – and leaned over Cheetara to inject it into her arm. She spat at him, pulling at her bonds. "Ah, shut up. You'll thank me later."

It had taken a day to mix the antimutagen and another to test its effectiveness. Their remaining supplies of Mutation had been used on the very sickest while they waited for the results of their new batch. As it happened, Lion-O had been right. The sick recovered, appetites improving and their fevers disappearing, but this brought the food supply into question. Tygra sighed. The people couldn't fish because of the toxic water, and their crops wouldn't grow because of all the weeds which had most likely been caused by said water. What they would do when the forest's resources were depleted he didn't know. They'd probably have to cross the mountain pass and abandon their land now that the way was clear.

Lion-O hadn't killed the Luna, Amok. Tygra couldn't believe it at first. They'd checked the pass and found, in the melting snow, great footprints walking away from the place where Lion-O's prints turned back to the village. They hadn't been able to follow them before the snow melted entirely. Tygra only shook his head as he looked at the sleeping lion; he was too soft for this kind of thing. Had Amok played innocent, or had he escaped? The Nfumu thing had upset Lion-O, and Tygra couldn't quite understand why. Was such a foul, wicked life worth something? Really?

Cheetara whined and Tygra flinched. The recovery was not pleasant, sweat pouring from the body as it struggled to shake off the mutation's grip. The old man's peaceful sleep had been interrupted by bouts of agony they'd later learned. It had all the signs of Mutation, but the fact that they couldn't find anything in the water was killing him. None was present, none at all, and Tygra leaned on the side of the cot and shut his eyes and ears to his surroundings.

Everyone who drank the water got sick. But not when they drank from the purifier. Its pipes stretched over the banks and sucked up water and cleansed it, pulling it to the basin further back. If people drank from this, they didn't get sick. So it had to be the water, right? Tygra's neck ached from being stooped over samples and he rubbed the tight place at the base of his skull. Nothing had ever turned up in the water, so how could it be that? But how could it be anything else? Something wasn't clicking and it was making his head throb.

"It's so hot."

He lifted his head and looked at Cheetara. She was staring weakly at the ceiling, still feverish, and Tygra shook her arm gently. "Cheetara? You're recovering right now; you're going to be okay."

Her nostrils flared. Her hair was filthy and tangled – no water on hand to wash it had quietly troubled her – and she pulled at it in distress. "It's so hot in here."

She hadn't heard him. The complaint was the same for all those recovering, although he supposed it was pretty warm in the area now that the Luna had gone. Snarf hopped up to Cheetara's pillow from Lion-O's, and he checked her temperature. He didn't fear sickness at all now since it was Mutation, and he gestured for a bowl. It had the minty liquid, and Tygra passed it to him. "Drink this, it'll make you cool down."

Cheetara turned her head away, twisting. Tygra bit the inside of his mouth as a little spilled on her. "C'mon, I know you hate tea. Poor, deluded thing. But this stuff is good for you."

"Ngh. The water…no water!"

Snarf tried to put the brim to her lips but she wouldn't take it. His ears slumped and Tygra resisted the urge to bop her on the head. It wasn't her fault, she was sick and confused. "Try to sleep then. The others are already getting better."

Her eyelids fluttered and Snarf tugged back the sheets. She was damp from sweat and curled in a ball, holding her temples. "Too hot," she whispered. "My head hurts."

"I'm going to see if I can't get some soup for her. She's got to have fluids, even if she doesn't want them." Tygra stood up and left the house, sunlight burning his eyes. He rubbed them furiously and went in search of the kittens. They'd been given kitchen duty and had helped with gathering food in the village.

He saw Kat running and wondered if they were playing a game for a second. Then he realized the boy was pelting toward him and went to meet him, frayed nerves starting to race again. "Don't tell me someone's sick again-!?"

"Tygra, the water's not making people sick! It's the plants!" Kat's face was pale and he was gasping for air, tail switching and twitching.

His heart stopped. "What? You mean the Medella-?"

"No! The weeds that have been growing along the stream! Me and Kit were looking around and – just come on!"

Tygra just picked Kat up and sprinted down to the stream, unwilling to wait for the shorter legs to lead. Kit was hunched by the beginning of the weeks that sprawled down the bank into the stream and Tygra stopped beside her, aware that Panthro was approaching by the sound of heavy feet in the earth. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Look. But don't breathe on it." Kit had used a stick to push down the stalk of one of the weeds, bent down like wheat. Kernels of what Tygra had thought were seeds rolled free when she roved the stick over them. With the flatter part of it she crushed the kernels and pointed. "We saw some of the seeds fall, and we were poking them to see who could smash the most…"

The seeds had crumbled, revealing glints of a muted, green glow. Tygra took the stick and took a vial from his belt – it had contained one of their many batches of antimutagen – and nudged the objects into it, sealing it carefully. "But people drank the water…" Panthro began.

"They went down to the stream to get the water," Tygra interrupted. "They had to pass through the weeds. And Cheetara fell in, and she went down in the weeds. The purifier pumps water out and over the banks, so no one has to go into the plants."

"And the glow goes away. See?" The glow had indeed dimmed, and in the sunlight Tygra had to squint to make it out. "Nobody ever saw it because they thought the water was making them sick. I bet that's why the bad guys put them near the water!"

Panthro pulled the kittens away from the weeds. "Tygra, go run some tests on that stuff. I'll tell the villagers."

Tygra did as he was told, mind whirling. For two hours he analyzed the substance, and his examination turned up interesting results. The weed was a plant hybrid, altered to contain the properties of Mutation, but it was diluted compared to the processed drug. It was meant to be breathed in, and it wasn't absorbed through the skin. It took more than a breeze to loosen the seeds, and the plants were indeed draining the nutrients from the soil, leaving the crops to wither. It was a spectacular blend of minerals, chemicals, and plant that made Tygra feel surly and impressed. It wasn't a perfect experiment, as it wasn't as powerful as Mutation, but it was certainly ingenious.

He also discovered that fire was a good way of getting rid of the seeds. Heat made the kernels pop and turned them to cinders.

Tygra pushed away the microscope and took off to tell Snarf. The village had woken up, and Panthro was telling Latt about what they'd discovered as he passed. If Lion-O was up he would be ecstatic to hear this.

Snarf popped out the door before he could enter. "Lion-O's awake. He's looking after Cheetara."

"We found out what was causing the sickness." Tygra slipped through and paused. Lion-O was indeed up, looking very rumpled, and he was sitting in Snarf's vacated chair. Other than the bandages on his feet and chest and his slow movements, he seemed well. Cheetara was leaning on him, murmuring about the heat.

Lion-O was drawing a brush through the worst tangles in her hair. It was such a tender gesture that Tygra stood there and watched for a minute. Cheetara's eyes were shut, lips muttering indistinctly. Lion-O brought the abandoned bowl of liquid to her lips and coaxed her into drinking some of it, tilting it delicately. She accepted the bowl reluctantly from his bandaged hands and seemed to find comfort in the way he swept her hair back. He put it down after she sipped it and sighed, and kept brushing her dirty hair. "You'll be okay," he said softly.

That Lion-O liked Cheetara was quite obvious, but Tygra realized for the first time that it might be turning into something other than a crush. A large part of him – the part that was most shaped like a brother and remembered her as a motherly, bratty sister – did not like this at all. And yet, the other part was touched every time the brush went through her hair like a kid brushing a doll's curls. Lion-O quickly braided her long hair with a few twitches of his fingers, as if he'd done it a thousand times.

Tygra shook himself and said, "Lion-O. We've found the source." The lion paused, looking surprised that Tygra was there. His face went slightly pink. Tygra rolled his eyes and approached quietly. "The weeds growing along the banks are where the Mutation is."

"What?" Lion-O draped Cheetara back down on the cot very gently. He tucked her braid out of the way of the pillow. "What's happened? Did you make the antimutagen?"

Tygra realized Lion-O had only just woken up and had no idea what was going on. "I'll tell you by the stream. Everyone's gotten a dose of antimutagen and Cheetara's recovering."

In spite of his bandages Lion-O seemed hale again and followed him swiftly. Tygra had an idea of how to get rid of this stuff once and for all.

* * *

"So you see, when you went to get water you had to wade through the reeds and plants. You said the water was toxic and causing the weeds to grow, but that's not what happened." Tygra spoke well to groups Lion-O noted, watching the tiger gesture to the plants behind him. He sounded like a noble's son, clear and confident. "If my hypothesis is correct, the Luna that was here was placing an experimental form of Mutation here and kept you in the village so he could report back to the head of their group about how a test group was affected. They've been trying to produce more Mutation more quickly, and this was a great habitat for them to infect with their experiment. The fact that you thought it was the water played right into what they wanted. It meant the plant was able to grow without being disturbed."

The people murmured, the recovering wiping their foreheads. Lion-O felt lightheaded from the days he'd been sleeping and from relief; Cheetara was awake now and sitting beside him, listening intently. Her hair had been neatly braided even though it was still dirty, and Lion-O touched her shoulder. She glanced at him with bright eyes and smiled a little. "I'm okay," she whispered.

Tygra had gathered the villagers along the bank, just steps away from the plant that had been spreading the Mutation-hybrid seeds through their numbers. Many of them held torches. "The water has been fine all along. The purifier was built so the pipe stretched unintentionally over the weeds, so no one had to go through them to get water from the bank. If we burn out the plants and pull up the roots so they can't grow, your village should recover with time." Tygra lowered one torch to the top of a weed to demonstrate. It took a moment to kindle but when it did the top burst into popping sparks, the stalk eaten into ash in seconds.

Several villagers started forward and he held up a finger. "Don't touch the plants though. If you inhale the seeds again you'll need to get another shot of antimutagen. Just take it a little bit at a time. I recommend a path to the stream first."

They nodded and Ocel was the first to start the fires. They were controlled and small, and Lion-O watched them dig up the roots and burn them as well. One crackled then another before it began to sound like a sap-filled campfire in the area. The land would be rich here as long as they got rid of all the Mutation, made new by the layer of ash.

"One thing I don't understand," Cheetara said suddenly, "is why some people got sick and others recovered."

Lion-O fiddled with his tail and released it after a minute. "Remember how I said some people have genetic structures suitable for Mutation?"

"Like Slithe and Gyp, and all the others that maintain their minds?" Neither one wanted to say Mutants.

"This was just a test to see if Mutation could be bred into plants. It worked but not well enough; the Mutation was diluted, so it just gave people fevers and made them act like Timbyr until their bodies wore out. The people that can utilize Mutation were the ones who probably burned through it and came out all right after being sick a little while. We'd need a lot of investigation to confirm it, but…"

She nodded thoughtfully. "The people that got well could control themselves under the influence. Huh. So I guess I wouldn't be genetically suited for it? Call me crazy but I'm all right with that."

Lion-O grinned. "There are worse things. As long as everyone's okay…that's all I care about."

"Well next time wait for me to catch up before you go running off after some Luna-thing." Panthro sounded gruffer than usual as he came close, digging with a hoe to help break up the roots. Lion-O and Cheetara tried to get up but he waved a hand at them, telling them to sit down. "That wasn't a pureblood Luna. No way."

Lion-O frowned. "I didn't think so. He…seemed to be off somehow. He had giantor traits. But I didn't think giantors and Luna could procreate."

"They can't, any more than dogs and cats. I don't want to know how he was made. Probably in a test tube." Tygra too was attacking the roots but he had stopped to speak in undertone. "This Mama Luna isn't like Slithe or Gyp. She's in control here, and she knows what she's doing."

"She hasn't stopped us yet which has to be driving her mad." Snarf rubbed his sides against Cheetara's ankles. "She's trying to keep us from the north. I wouldn't be surprised to see more agents getting in the way. We must be getting closer."

Cheetara drew him into her lap and cuddled him against her chin. "I wonder if these plants came from Red-Eye or Gyp," she said. "They were sending out samples and plants."

"That might be where these seeds came from," Tygra said. "They had to be spliced with some advanced technology, and the Luna have the scientists to do it. Gyp might have helped work on them too." He turned to survey the burning of the weed and Lion-O watched carefully as the people dropped fire on the plants and paced back, avoiding the places with the care of stealthy predators.

"We'll leave them some emergency stock of antimutagen just in case. As long as the plants are burned out they should be all right." Lion-O watched the flames dance and continued, "They should probably leave this area until it can be treated."

"That would be safest," Tygra agreed.

Cheetara sighed. "I'm just glad everything's all right now. All I want to do is leave and message Mama and Daddy." She leaned on Lion-O's arm which surprised him, but he didn't move. "You did really well, Tygra. You and the kittens and Panthro and Snarf and Lion-O. You all helped stop this."

"You did too," Lion-O said. She glanced at him skeptically. "Hope is essential. Without hope we would have given up." His cheek brushed the top of her head as he nudged her.

Tygra gave them a curious look and coughed. "Cheetara?" She looked at him and he seemed ready to speak but then scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Nothing. Just…sorry about…y'know." She looked confused and Lion-O couldn't figure it out either. "I know you and I don't see eye to eye on the Creator, but I shouldn't have gotten so spiteful. I was…worried."

Lion-O felt Cheetara's fingers close loosely. "I know. I'm just grateful to him that this all worked out. Him and all of you. If you don't feel that way, that's your right."

Lion-O noticed that Tygra looked away. "Yeah. Anyway, I think the next thing on the list should be getting through this pass. Hopefully Amok will have gone on."

Wincing, Lion-O rubbed his forehead wearily. "I know you think I should have offed him. Maybe you're right. But you didn't see him."

Tygra put up his hands. "Hey, it was your call. I'm just trying to think of the pass and getting through it. It's just the beginning of summer now, so we should have plenty of time as long as we don't get held up forever."

Panthro nodded. "We should leave in a day, two tops. Make as much antimutagen as you can so we'll have a good supply."

The kittens looked at each other and pumped their fists in the air. "On the road again!"

* * *

"Man it got rocky quick."

Cheetara helped Kat and Kit up a particularly steep spot and heard Panthro cuss when the Thundertank's wheels started spinning out. "Doesn't it have treads for mountain terrain? Scratch that, every terrain." Tygra called. He had gone ahead and was looking back with his arms folded for warmth.

"Not for this kind of steepness," Panthro shot up the path.

The village had been a storm of activity when they left, smelling of clean air and freshly caught fish and grasses that could really breathe for the first time in months. Lion-O had left the village some information on how to contact the Imperial City and the nobles if something did happen, and they'd made good their exit after loading up no fewer than fifty clean canisters of antimutagen. The road into the mountain had thawed in Amok's absence very well, but the grass turned to lichen and moss and shrubs very quickly. Two days found them nearly at the peak of the path, and once they reached the highest place they would be able to see their route into the pass. Panthro had described it as a great canyon with cliffs stretching out for miles to either side, one that filled with ice when the winter snows started.

Getting the Thundertank through the pass wouldn't be too bad as soon as they found a proper road. The Tank could tear up the land, but its weight worked against it as they forged up the mountain on a scrabbly, loose path. This was the third time Panthro had to get out to push. Lion-O went to help and Snarf climbed into the driver's seat to push on the gas pedal. Panthro still didn't like anyone to actually drive the tank.

"This is what I imagined when I thought of adventuring. Walking long distances up mountains." Kit paused again as they waited for the Thundertank to be freed from a cracked rock. "…Wow, old-style adventuring is boring."

"Why do you think the fairytales always skipped ahead to the location? Fifty pages of wandering across the wilds gets a little dull." Tygra rounded the machine and braced up beside Lion-O and Panthro, helping them push. The Thundertank clunked and rolled forward, freed from the crack. Cheetara nudged the kittens out of the way of the Tank and pulled up some shrub branches. When it next looked like the wheels would get stuck she had them stop and put the scrub under them.

Panthro actually looked relieved. "Thanks."

Cheetara stared at him. "You just thanked me. Without any sarcasm or our lives being in danger." He grunted and she smiled. "Aw, Panthro."

"Don't get all mushy on me girl." With this practice the Thundertank made it up to a smoother patch and everyone took a break.

Cheetara was cold in the high wind but warm under the sun, so she felt feverish in the mixture. But it was nothing like being sick and she reveled in her returning strength and health. She noticed Lion-O watching her – he'd been babying her a little since she recovered – and gave him a cheeky wave. He smiled and shook his head; she was fine, but he hadn't let her do so much as lay out her own bedroll. She refused to acknowledge the catch to her breath and how tired she got if she walked too long.

"I'm fine now, really." Cheetara prodded Lion-O's side. "I'm feeling good."

"Are you sure? We don't need you to have a relapse." He was holding the legend map in his hands now, leaning against the side of the Tank as he tried to figure out their location. She gave him a look. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry I've been coddling. I guess I just…well, all of us were worried about you."

Tygra clucked his tongue. "He was fretting after you all right. All of us were, but he was a mess more than anyone." Lion-O's eyes roved to him piercingly, as if to warn him to be quiet, and Tygra gave him a wicked smile. "Careful Lion-O. We might start thinking you-"

"No!"

The teasing stopped and all of the cats – and Snarf, who was in the passenger seat now – turned to the kittens. Both stood further ahead on the path, but Kat's cry had carried over the brittle air. Cheetara sprinted up to them first, taking his shoulders. "Kat? Are you okay?"

His face was white, eyes wide. "There…it's not winter. How…how is it…?"

Cheetara turned to see what he was pointing at. Her heart fell.

In warm sunlight it would have been a glorious canyon made of silvery stone, deep enough to hold a tall peak and long enough to be seen as a crack in Third Earth from space. It stretched out seemingly to the horizon and she felt weak at the thought of driving through it.

Panthro reached them and gaped openly. Tygra reached them and took in the sight before putting a hand to his mouth to muffle an oath. Lion-O and Snarf were the last to see it, and they both stared for a silent minute.

The pass through the mountains – the low, safe, passable route they had traveled so far for – was coated in hard, pure ice. Snow must have been falling to cause the white mist in the distance and the clouds were deep gray, fat with flakes. If the ocean had poured into the canyon and frozen it could not have looked more desolate below them.

It was nearly ten leagues out where the ice began, forming what looked like an iceberg stranded on land. Nearer was no ice, but it was blocked from that point on. Lion-O's hands fell to his sides helplessly.

"How did this happen? The water is still in the ocean. Where did this ice come from?" Cheetara looked from the wall of ice down to the chunk of canyon still open. "What the…?"

She pointed into the canyon. The path led down into its depths like the deepest caldera but there was no sign of lava having ever been near here. It would take a day to cross even in the Thundertank, and the ice cast cold, night black shadows over it in spite of the sun. But the strangest thing was that, in the shadiest part of the ice, a building rested. It looked like a factory with towers jutting in the center, carved from blue stone and ore that could have been from the sides of the canyon. It was massive if it was so easy to see from here. "Who would build that here? The canyon floods every spring when the ocean rises," Lion-O said.

"I don't know. I'm more worried about them." Tygra crouched and Cheetara followed his gaze to see a shifting throng. "Monkians?"

Some of them had white fur like Nfumu but there were blacks and browns and even reddish gold mixed in the numbers. They seemed to be camping in the west, a place where the canyon branched into caves and greater rocks. "What in the world is going on down there?"

Cheetara felt her cheek warm and looked over; Lion-O's gauntlet was shining and he took the Sword of Omens out, squinting against the gold and red glare. The blade lengthened and his eyes widened, everybody turning to him as he muttered. "There's…a group of soldiers. Thundera's soldiers. They're down there, hidden. The monkians are waiting for them-"

He broke off and held his head. The jewel's glow faded and the blade shrank again. "They need help. We have to get down there." Panthro immediately turned to the Thundertank and climbed in. "Maybe they'll know why the way is frozen already."

Cheetara recalled that Panthro was part of the military and realized these might be friends of his, perhaps part of a Thunderan outpost. Everyone got into the tank and buckled in; it wasn't quite as steep down this side of the mountain but Cheetara held her stomach anyway as the descent began.

* * *

She curled her fingers against the expanse of the clouds and moved them in a spiral. The sky twisted black and purple to follow her motion and the white snow falling intensified. She didn't fear the ice; she gloried in it as she had on Luna, before their world died. Her hand opened and she uttered her spell.

Amok appeared in the snow before her as if he'd fallen like a comet, covered in ice and snow. She hated wasting her magic on transporting Amok, but all he had to do was start a blizzard for him to pull him through, so why wait longer? "You failed to stop them?" she asked.

He blinked his tiny eyes and whimpered, proffering an arm. A long, violet scratch across it was swollen. "Kiss? Amok miss Mama."

She slapped him across the face. Amok lowered his head without surprise. "I'll discuss your punishment later. Right now I have a storm to finish. The ice is nearly done; you go see Chilla for now. Tell her what happened. I can't stomach listening to you two right now."

He went without a sound and she raised both hands, shutting her eyes. More cold, more ice had to fall on the canyon. It was so far away but even here she felt the storm's pressure. Alluro would have to deal with the cats if they were to keep the area under control. The Arietta bird would make short work of the ice if she were freed, and her limbs were trembling from the exertion of doing it once. Mama she may be, but would not be able to do this again.

She wasn't strong enough yet. And she wouldn't be strong enough if Alluro didn't make good on the job she'd given him. The mutated were essential to it, and time was running out faster than she'd expected.

Mama turned around and headed back up the snowy hill without a word. Enough blood to fill a sea would flow, but if it made it possible to control the Harbinger, it was worth it.

Every last drop.

* * *

 **End of Episode 13**

* * *

Hello everyone.

Due to the busy nature of our lives, Harbinger is going on a temporary - note that word - hiatus for six weeks. Check back May 27th for the continuation of season one. In the meantime, let us know what you think. Where will the story go? Favorite episode? Or go back and enjoy the tale again. If this story is enjoyed, the years constructing this project are worth it. And we do mean years.


	14. Chapter 14

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

Greetings to our readers. We hope you've had a pleasant hiatus. We appreciate your kind words and patience. It is for this reason we've decided to upload this just a smidge early. Enjoy.

* * *

 **Episode 14**

 **Sorcerer's Thrall, Part 1**

* * *

"I count over three hundred monkians. Most of them are thick-furred, so the temperature doesn't bother them. I have no idea if they're Mutants or not." Tygra shifted on the rock and exhaled. "Look at them. They're a real armed force. Think they're part of the Alliance?"

"Probably. They know formations." Panthro scanned the area once more, lip curling. He pointed further out, on a stony outcrop. "I don't see Thunderan soldiers, and there's the outpost they were supposed to be in. If they're holed up in the caverns, why aren't the monkians entering?"

Tygra detested the cold – the sole saving grace for the north was the fact that there were virtually zero spiders – but he could operate well in it due his thick tiger fur. The scraping feeling of the cold rock was worse. "They might have sealed the way. Not to mention cats can see better in the dark than simians, so they have an advantage. My question is how can we get them out, or at least communicate with them?"

Cheetara peered over the rocks. They had progressed down the path enough to get a better view of the warriors, and the road followed the line of a cliff. They were concealed well here, but dared not move much for fear of causing a rock slide. The kittens both sat in the passenger seat, whispering to each other. Snarf was poking around for something and Lion-O went over to help him. "Panthro, do Thunderan units carry communicators?"

"A few groups have been sent to various places by the king to observe what's going on and report about the trade, so they should have some kind of portable communicator. But that was almost a year ago now. The Luna have been jamming communications within their land, maybe for months in areas near drug hubs." Panthro looked up as Snarf grunted. "What're you looking for?" he asked.

"The messenger. It's in here, right?" Lion-O went to the trunk and removed it, taking it to Snarf with shivering fingers. He didn't seem accustomed to the chill either.

"Can we use it with the communication blocks?" Tygra asked. He turned to the Thundertank and dragged the tip of his finger over the surface. "This is of Luna design; maybe one of our baddies sent it to Hammerhand so he could communicate with the Luna for his job without worrying about the communication block. Bet it has a different frequency so it flies over the blockade."

Lion-O tapped his claws on the metal side of the vehicle. "Scan for T-LO-1985. If this is the group I think it is, trying to contact his messenger specifically would be less dangerous than a general scan."

Panthro gave him a surprised look. "But that's…"

Lion-O rubbed the back of his neck, like a child that knew a secret and had spilled. "I saw him in the vision. He's alive."

Panthro's claws dug into the metal and Tygra realized his face had paled around the lips in anger. "Stupid. He was supposed to retire." The look cast upon the monkians was livid and Tygra shifted away from the panther in alarm. Then he entered the code and held his breath.

The sound of static was soft but against the rocks and their silence it was difficult to tolerate. Cheetara gave them a thumbs up; the monkians didn't hear them. The screen was black but suddenly a voice came through, rasping and curling on the edges like a purr. "T-LO reporting. Identify yourself."

"Lynx-O? Lynx-O, it's me." Panthro ducked close to the messenger and Tygra handed it over in surprise.

"Panthro!? Creator Almighty…how are you contacting me!?"

"We picked this messenger up from an enemy. I'm with a group heading to Lune and we just entered the canyon. Where are you?" Panthro had never sounded quite so relieved. His eyes shut and Tygra blinked at Lion-O. Who was this? A friend from the military? Lion-O shook his head slightly to indicate he couldn't talk yet.

"You're coming from the south? Then look to the caverns on the west about a league in. I'm sealed inside. The monkians are stationed by the entrance. I can smell them from here." Lynx-O's voice came faintly for a moment and then the reception cleared. "We've been trying to send messages to other units and the Imperial City for months! This is the first we've heard anything back."

"There's a communication block between Lune and Thundera. We haven't been able to get messages to or from the north for almost three months now," Tygra interrupted. "I guess it's been going even longer than that."

"Who is this?"

"Tygra. Friend of Panthro's. What can you tell us about the monkian forces and the structure down here? And why is there ice in the pass already?" Tygra ignored Panthro's glare and Lion-O prodded Panthro's arm to get him to stop.

"Ice in the pass? There wasn't when we were driven in here." Another voice had spoken. "High Gen-"

Panthro snarled softly. "Panthro." The silence was heavy until the other voice cleared and continued.

"Ah…Panthro. We…we've been in these caverns for almost six months. We're about to run out of provisions and water, though we've been eating grubs and bugs that have been living in the rocks to stretch them. Did the king send you to help us?"

Tygra's stomach turned at the thought of eating slimy bugs. They hadn't been pushed to that yet, thank goodness. "I don't think he knew you were trapped. How did this happen?" Panthro asked.

Lynx-O coughed. "If I might have my com back?" A chorus of apologetic voices died away. "You received reports of Mutation being shipped from Lune and materials being sent to her? I'm afraid the trade has become much more diabolical."

"Mutation is being manufactured in Thundera as well and people are being mutated and sent to Lune." Snarf shifted his tail and began to groom it after speaking.

"…Yes. Along with being a hub for the black market, Lune has been trading heavily with Tropo. We scouted the area to discover who was behind the trade. The mastermind of this sector is a Luna named Alluro."

"Another Luna?" Tygra sighed. "Have they sided with the Alliance here as well?"

"So you know about the Mutant generals? The Alliance serves under the head of this trade, and this detachment has been here for months. We made our stand but were driven back into these caverns. I suppose I understand why our messages never received replies." Lynx-O coughed and Panthro's ears perked in alarm. "Excuse me. Panthro, do you have soldiers with you? Can you help us break loose? We can't last much longer in here, though I vouch that these are the bravest men you'd ever meet."

Lion-O looked over the three hundred simians, examining their weapons. Panthro eyed him and said, "We have seven."

"Seven hundred?"

"No. Seven. Well, four adults, two kids, and a Snarf if you know what that is." Lynx-O said nothing for a long moment.

"…In that case, I shall have to ask you to carry our messages to the king. There is no way you can take down such a large force, no matter how strong they are."

Cheetara crossed her arms. "I think we could give them some trouble," she murmured.

Snarf had climbed out of the tank and looked down at the monkians. "Maybe so. But they don't look like pushovers. We'd have to use a method other than brute strength to take them down. We'll have to play it smart."

Lion-O took the messenger. Tygra let him, still looking to the icy wall. Not only were Thunderan soldiers trapped here, but who knew what would be going on in Lune and Icla? What if they were trapping Thunderan immigrants there? Tygra's lip curled. No one touched his mother and lived. No one so much as breathed the wrong way the general vicinity of the direction of her home. Period.

"Captain Lynx-O. I'm one of the cats traveling with Panthro. Don't place your last report yet, we're not giving up on you. What can you tell us about this group? We meant to pass through to reach Lune, but we weren't aware of what appears to be a battalion of Alliance elite being anywhere near our route." Tygra cocked his head, hearing something of the Fangs in Lion-O's voice. But it wasn't coldness so much a rational, level-headed sense. He spoke with clarity and Tygra shook his head at the difference. Maybe Lion-O was bipolar…or perhaps he'd made himself another personality to cope with certain things? Psychology interested Tygra but he'd not studied near enough of it.

Then again, what did a person go through to form another personality?

"Panthro?" Lynx-O seemed doubtful, but the panther gave him a reassuring mutter that Tygra didn't catch. "If you're sure. Well, from what we've overheard and figured out through battle, these are one of the most powerful forces in the Alliance that our men have faced. There are ten battalions of lizards, six of jackals, eight of the birds, and four of the apes that are considered special tactics units. This is one of those four. They're better trained and supplied than most of the bands we run into. Not to mention they know the area well. They managed to drive us to the wall, and it was either take to the caverns or be pierced to the canyon as decorative pelts. We hoped there would be another route out of here, but we were disappointed."

Lion-O shut his eyes. "What else do you know of them? Where do they come from? Any leaders?"

"We don't know of any leaders. The infamous Nfumu was among them before he was promoted to an Alliance general but no one has seen him, thank the Creator." Lion-O's eyes flickered. "Most of these apes come from east of the bogs, in the lusher lands where Thundera has little control. A scarce few come from within Thundera itself."

Claws tapping against a rock, Lion-O spoke slowly. "I've read of those lands. They're filled with legends and stories."

"Not to mention disease runs rampant and cats are driven out like rodents." Tygra had only been there once and didn't intend on ever going back. "It makes Rana Village look like a cute sandbox."

Lion-O's hair was caught in a breeze and his ponytail whipped halfheartedly. "I need more information to form a plan. The Thundertank is still damaged from dealing with Hammerhand, and if they have energy weapons even it might not be able to take them down. Lynx-O, are you sure there are no ways out of the caverns?"

"We've searched for months and have found nothing. I'm sorry I have nothing more to offer. The only other thing I can say for the Alliance is that their men are brutal and slay with enjoyment. If we come out we perish, but we would rather do that than die hiding here at the last." Lynx-O sounded tired, as if his hope had finally dwindled.

"No." Snarf jumped to Lion-O's shoulder. "We need information on this group? I'll get it."

The kittens' eyes widened. "Snarf?"

"Who is this? Panthro, I'm getting confused-"

"My name is Osbert, but call me Snarf. I am of the forest southeast of Rana Village, and I am a scout among my people. It was my job to gather information quietly, and I can do that here." He licked a paw and rubbed his face, breaking the dramatic statement. "If I can discover what sort of supplies they have and what tactics they use, perhaps we can formulate a plan."

"Snarf, you can't go down there alone," Tygra objected. "I know you schmoozed Hammerhand but at least he was a cat. These guys…they'd eat you. Literally."

Cheetara threw him a deadly look. Tygra jutted his chin out; she could fight him all she wanted, but certain acts were so barbarous that they featured only in non-feline entities. Hammerhand was foul, but he'd had at least a little decorum. Simians were among the most brutish creatures in the world, save for giantors.

Snarf's claws tightened on Lion-O's shoulder. "Only if they find me and catch me. None of you can go, you'd tip them off that cats are in the area. I'm small and sneaky, and I can pretend to be dumb."

Lion-O's coolness faded and his eyes were troubled. "Snarf, this is really dangerous."

"So is saving a tribe from two Luna and a Mutant bird, and battling a pirate, and shattering the southern leg of a global drug trade. But we've done all those things so far. Why not this now?" He pointed toward the rocks. "I'm going down there at night, and I'll return with whatever information I can scrounge up. If I don't come back…well, I'm counting on you to fix whatever's happening."

"Snarf," Kat began, ears drooping. Tygra's heart felt too hot for comfort at the stupid, brave little gesture. Snarf's fur was stiff but his stance was firm.

"You're not going in alone. I'm going in too." The warmth stopped when Cheetara spoke, defiant.

Lion-O's head jerked in her direction. "If they'd eat him, what do you think they'd do to you?" he asked. His nostrils were flared and Tygra realized he was just as angry at the suggestion as Tygra himself was. Good for him. "Cheetara, you're fast and strong, but I'm not putting you in that kind of situation."

"If anyone I should go," Tygra said. It was stupid but once he said it out loud it made perfect sense. Everyone shifted to stare at him. "I can turn invisible. If something happens I dart in, grab Snarf and run like Ghen. Few warriors have ever dealt with an invisible cat."

Cheetara's hands found her staff. "But what if they smell you? And if they did get you, Nfumu was bad enough. Ten of him would be-"

"I'll roll around on the ground and mask my scent." His neat mane stood up at the thought of getting dirty on purpose, but Tygra was nothing if not pragmatic. "This is only if Snarf gets caught. I'll stay a good distance away until I need to make a move." He gestured toward the monkians. "Unless you think we can take down a battalion on our own."

Cheetara's fur bristled.

"Captain Lynx-O, we'll contact you again soon," Lion-O said firmly. "Rest assured we're going to find a way to help. Just sit tight."

"I hope you're right." The signal shut off and Lion-O gave Cheetara and Tygra serious looks.

Tygra shrugged. "I should go. I'll take some antimutagen in case something happens and keep low to the ground."

"But if they find you what will you do?" Cheetara demanded. "Nfumu almost killed you in Tropo and if I hadn't been there-"

"Stop." Lion-O spoke sharply and Panthro – who had been about to step between the two – cocked his head. "We don't have time to fight. Those men are about to starve and this is very simple. Snarf, if you're sure you want to do this then you sneak down when night falls and spy on the group. Tygra will accompany you. The rest of us will wait further back."

Snarf nodded. "All right." Tygra too accepted this. Cheetara, on the other hand, looked ready to catch on fire.

"Lion-O, they could be killed. I'm better suited, I can run-"

"You are not better suited. And you are still recovering from being sick." His voice was even now. "Cheetara, I know you want to be there to back them up, and you will be. But Tygra's abilities are best for this particular mission."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not letting him go down there alone. Not after Tropo. I can't do it Lion-O, I can't."

Lion-O stared at her. Tygra touched the side of his neck in memory and wondered if she was still so worried because of his brush with death. "Cheetara, it's best for the group," Tygra said. "Seriously, I can do this. I know you were kind of freaked out about Nfumu, but-"

"Tygra, he nearly broke your neck. I won't let anyone come that close, not when I'm plenty strong enough to stop it."

"Come on, you two get in the Thundertank. I need help finding something," Panthro said. Tygra sighed with relief as the kids were distracted, for Cheetara and Lion-O seemed to have some kind of energy forming as they glared at each other. He couldn't remember them fighting and he scratched his head, wondering what to do.

"I'm aware of how strong you are Cheetara. This isn't a question of strength. This is a stealth mission, in and out quietly. We can't alert them to our presence. Tygra and Snarf have the best chance of doing this. You going along with increase their chances of being detected."

Cheetara crossed her arms. "I'm sorry but you're wrong." Lion-O's eyes widened and she continued, "Lion-O, I'm a better bet. I can get in and out faster than Tygra-"

"Not when there are this many soldiers." Lion-O had lowered his voice a little but Tygra could sense a baffled frustration. "Cheetara, we'll be close if something happens."

She tightened her stance, tail lashing. "Lion-O, I really, really want to be the one to go down there. You weren't there when Nfumu tried to kill Tygra." He looked at her hard. She shifted. "It's my fault he came along in the first place. And I can't tolerate the idea of him getting hurt."

"Careful Cheetara, people might actually think we care," Tygra muttered, secretly touched. Sure she could be bratty, but that maternal fondness had always won out. Even so, he continued, "I should go. Say whatever you want, you're still not feeling great."

She glared at him but Lion-O nodded. "He's right. Cheetara, you'll be nearby with the rest of us but Tygra will be Snarf's emergency backup. I don't want to put you out in the thick of things just yet, not when his abilities are better suited."

Tygra breathed a sigh of relief. Cheetara seemed disbelieving. "Lion-O!"

"That's my decision Cheetara. My order. I know exactly what could happen. Or are you forgetting who fought and killed Nfumu?" Lion-O looked out over the battalion and his tail switched and flared. "I know you want to go down there, but I'm thinking of the success of this mission and the safety of our group and the soldiers. The greatest chance we have is if Tygra does this. You know it."

Cheetara didn't say anything, hands balling into fists. She returned to the Tank and Tygra hesitated, standing near Lion-O. "She's mad."

"I know." Lion-O rubbed at his face, namely his temples. "She was really upset in Tropo when you nearly got killed." Tygra nodded and Lion-O seemed to be looking past him at something bright. "Is that what it's like to have a brother or sister? You fight with them all the time but you'd do anything to keep them safe?"

"Mostly, yeah. You're still right. She'll get over it." Tygra put his hands on his hips as he surveyed the muddy battalion. "Women. They get so darn protective, huh?"

Lion-O didn't answer. Tygra tried to think of something to say and nothing came to mind, so he just thumped Lion-O on the back and headed to the Tank. When they had started taking his orders Tygra couldn't recall, but he was relieved by it. They had a little while before night fell.

* * *

Snarf supposed he understood the argument, but Cheetara was not being honest when she said she was fully well; she had gone days without eating while ill, and had only now started to really get her energy back. Her youth and health made her return swift, but just the thought of her trying to run through the group and get him out, and all that could go wrong with all those weapons…no, Tygra was the better choice here. Her loyal nature was endearing but it made her stubborn.

And, if Snarf was honest with himself, darker things could be done more easily to women in war than men. He shuddered and forced the thought away. No, better to play to each person's strengths and be smart.

He took a deep breath and crept closer, slinking in the shadows of the boulders with his belly low. His great ears flicked at the popping of the dry, pitiful fires of the monkian battalion. Stopping often kept him from shivering, and eventually he could hear growled words. He could also smell their sweat, their burnt meat, their heavy hair.

"…Must be running out. We've been here too long. Our generals have failed and the entire trade is unraveling. Lune's the last stronghold." The black ape folded an arm over his knees. "The Alliance was only now becoming feared. How is it that all we've worked for is crumbling again?"

"Cats. This group is guided by their strange gods, led to enslave and conquer. Just as they did in the old days," an orangutan whispered darkly. Another grunted.

"I thought they believed in the Creator. Not at all like our gods."

"Bah. They say so, maybe. But they believe their ancestors rest in paradise and can be sent to aid them. The Spirit Pride runs in this world; how else do you explain their might? The pantheon help us with wild spirits serving Thundera." An ape whose chops were turning gray stirred the fire.

Snarf frowned. Snarfs believed in the Spirit Pride, the gathering of spirits that served the Creator in truth and light. They couldn't – shouldn't – be summoned willy-nilly into the world and Cheetara would certainly have said so. She had let him look through her copy of scriptures, and it was quite similar to the Snarf's beliefs. Theirs were an oral tradition, but they were alike. He remembered hearing the eastern folk had several polytheistic traditions, and some were particularly superstitious. The Alliance tended to detest anything of Thundera, including her religion, and it wasn't too shocking that they were ignorant of it. They had probably been fed horror stories since a young age about Thunderans.

Then again, the same had been done to Thunderan children.

Suddenly he grew rather sad. Lion-O had said Thundera was not always fair to nonfelines – or nonfels as Tygra said – but attacking innocent civilians and peoples as the Alliance did only served to fuel their rage, and rightly so. Someone would have to take a step of peace to ever make it stop. It sounded as if the Alliance's feet were firmly planted.

"Well, the cats can't summon spirits," dismissed another. His burly back was pressed to the rock Snarf was hiding behind, and he smelled of blood and dirty cloth. Snarf held his nose as he listened. "Otherwise these soldiers would have called up help. Grilla owes me three satches when I see him next. He said any cat with a drop of Imperial blood could summon a spirit on the spot."

"Don't talk of it. Never know when the spirits will hear you and grow angry," another warned. His fur was brown and he seemed to have longer arms than the others. "I hear the cats have a seer who rides on the winds. Her claws are lightning and she brings down armies. I've prayed thrice to the pantheon not to run into her."

"Well I'm more worried about the one they call the Fangs. His teeth are death and his blades bring it swiftly. He can fight like an ancient warrior of the kings. They were to be coming this way." A white monkian shivered, younger than the others.

"And the phantom. He appears as a tiger but he's really a ghost, and disappears into the night after he slits your throat. If you see him you're already dead, you just don't know it."

"What of the behemoth? The great cat as big as any monkian? He can break a neck with his fingers."

"Not to mention the two spirits. Imps that serve the gods with wicked tricks." Someone muttered. "I don't know if they're demons or imps, and I don't care. I hate kittens anyway. Too tricky."

Snarf stroked his chin. A plan was beginning to form and his lips curled. He listened a while longer, learning what the monkians feared and what they thought, wondering if Tygra was still as close as before. When some of them started bedding down he began to creep away, sliding along his belly in the shadows.

One of the primates shrieked and he yelped. "Beast! Little beast!" Claws scrabbling, Snarf tried to sprint – a rock, a burrow, anything would do – but a great fist closed on his tail and he was suddenly high in the air, blood rushing to his head as he dangled upside down. "Some strangeling come to our camp?"

The others sat up, moods sour from being disturbed. "Just kill it. It's a scavenger," said one of the older ones. "Might be good dried and honeyed."

Snarf's heart pounded hard enough that he felt it in his ears and tongue. It was so hard to talk but he managed to squeak, "Your…doom is night!"

The ape holding him shook him slightly like a ham being weighed. "What?"

Oh if only he didn't need to pee. Snarf swallowed and continued, mind spinning out a half-baked plan faster than a spindle turned out yarn. "You fear the spirits, as well you should. But they come to destroy you for taking the soldiers captive. The…the Spirit Pride's wrath is great. So great, they…"

He paused for breath and he realized everyone was being quiet, listening intently, even as the fingers crushed around his tail. Think of something, something that would scare the pants off of them…

It clicked. He licked his chops. "They have sent down their own. The cats from your stories that destroy your trade are agents from on high! They are coming for you, to drive you back to your heathen gods!"

The silence was incredible. Eyes flicked from side to side, tongues glistened behind teeth as the mouths opened slightly. Snarf, sensing this had alarmed them, heard the slightest tap of a quiet foot. He wriggled and said loudly, "Leave or you will be struck with terror! The Luna and Mutation cannot keep you safe from divine wrath!"

Then, as the fingers lost their grip, he bent, climbed up his own tail, and bit below the thumbnail as hard as he possibly could. The ape screamed in rage but Snarf fell to the ground, took three steps, and then vanished, feeling Tygra scooping him up. He couldn't see the cat but he felt warm hands around him, so he knew he'd been picked up and the whip was concealing him as the cat sprinted away.

The reaction was something he never forgot. Never had he heard so many primal calls and screams, and the sound of feet on the rocky ground was pandemonium. Snarf clutched Tygra's side and couldn't make out what the monkians were saying amid the noise.

When they reached the others he jumped to Lion-O's shoulder – this boulder was further back, safely distant – and he gasped, "Well, that might have worked."

Tygra appeared and tucked himself behind the boulder as well, smudged in dirt and panting with his eyes bright yellow. "Sheesh! Their senses are good. Thanks for the distraction."

"Listen to them go on! And when I vanished…getting these guys out will be easier than catching a sleeping beetle!" Snarf was shaking with excitement, and Cheetara took him from Lion-O's shoulder, looking him over.

"Did he hurt you? Are you all right? Tygra?" He rolled his eyes and nodded, and Snarf wiggled to be set down. Her mouth dipped and Cheetara crossed her arms. "How did you get out of there? They went crazy."

"Carefully and quietly. And fabulously, I might add." Tygra began dusting himself off. "I couldn't hear them. What were they talking about?"

"They think the Spirit Pride might get them! It's crazy how afraid they are! They think we have spirits helping us, and I just told them that you're all Spirit Pride agents that are after them!" Snarf was practically dancing.

Panthro blinked. "How does that help us?"

Snarf paused. "I…well, you could spook them. Somehow."

All the adults looked at each other. Cheetara's expression grew unhappy. "How? Jump out and yell 'boo' at them? I don't think I approve of using the spirits so lightly." Tygra scowled at her but Snarf's excitement was beginning to ebb.

"I…I don't know, it seemed like a good idea. That's all I heard about really."

His tail and ears lowered. But the kittens tugged Lion-O's arms. "He's right! It'll be like the shadow plays we used to see!"

Lion-O gave them a confused look. "The Imperial Theatre Shadow Plays?"

"Yeah, the traveling ones. They used to put on free shows to practice for the nobles and see what people liked. Our parents took us to see them!" Kit looked at each of them. "They made little things look super amazing with mirrors and lights. They think we're spirits? Well, let's be spirits. Play a trick."

Panthro grunted. "I'm lost."

"No…the kittens are right." Lion-O extended an arm so Snarf could climb up. "Cheetara, do you know what the spirits are supposed to look like?"

She seemed offended. "Their splendor is for the heavens. But some theologians have ideas about how they would translate in the mortal world."

"All right. Panthro, can you made the Thundertank shine lights in certain places?" The panther shrugged and nodded.

"Nothing fancy, but I could probably light up an area."

Lion-O nodded and Snarf could see his mind blazing through a plan. "Kids, I need you to find something to make bright color, preferably red. I don't care if we have to use berries or clay, just find something. Tygra? Ever played a ghost before?"

Tygra slowly started to smile. "I think this is going to be fun. If we don't get killed."

* * *

Fifteen minutes. It should not have taken so long for one of the Alliance's greatest battalions to calm itself. But it did, and the commander had to beat four of his own men senseless to make them stop.

The spirits may well be here but the monkians would not panic. Commander Pongo screamed and pounded his chest, and his men turned to him in silence. His breath came quickly, furiously. "Do we fear things that can disappear? If the spirits of the cats had power they would have done something before now. They frighten us because we let them."

He had caught his breath. His pride was great and his shaggy body stood straighter as his men murmured and nodded. Pongo had not been handpicked by Nfumu as a commander for nothing. He had eaten the gizzards of his opponents and used the blood to paint his war markings in the Battle of the Crushed Skulls five years ago. Wisps and wives' tales were nothing compared to that. "We will maintain our watch. If one disappearing imp is all the spirits will do, surely they have no power. Call on our gods if you wish more protection, but my mission is clear. The cats will not escape this cave."

He sat back down. "Send a message to Alluro," he continued. "Something is happening out here."

"Perhaps the bird called for them." This made everyone stop dead and even Pongo's knuckles tightened; Alluro's collection of exotic creatures contained everything from a spider the size of a house to a flower that had petals brighter than starlight. The greatest of these was as mysterious as it was powerful, and lurked in legends. It might have the power to summon aid. "It's said to serve their Creator."

Pongo grunted. "It doesn't matter. If spirits come, we will see if they can be cut in two. The stories say not, but I will see for myself."

The men hunkered back into position, quiet with their eyes watching the dark outside their flickering fires. The stars were dim tonight behind clouds. Commander Pongo's soldiers slept in three great masses with several fires between them, with a dozen keeping watch for each.

Two hours passed and Commander Pongo felt his tension ease. Perhaps the beast had fled with some trick. It didn't really matter…all they were to do was assist Alluro, and keep the cats in the caverns so they couldn't report back. They would starve soon and the matter would be finished.

The wind suddenly seemed colder and he stood up; a low, growling noise had started and his men gripped their weapons. He raised one broad hand and they were still, coats bristling. They were all jumpy from the strange occurrence, but they were not one of the specialty Alliance forces for nothing.

And then a cat appeared before the fire, silently, from thin air.

No one made a sound as he straightened from his crouch. Some fumbled for their weapons but his eyes roved through the crowd, palest yellow. Perhaps he had once been a tiger, but his fur was white save for black stripes and red tribal markings after Thundera's most ancient sacraments. His clothes were torn as if from war and his lips parted in a growl. "Your gods will not save you from us."

Then he vanished and light exploded around them. From the north, from the south? Some of it was red, some was gold, and half of them were nearly blinded, holding their eyes and swinging with their free fists.

A bloodcurdling scream of rage made Pongo turn, eyes streaming, and what appeared to be a golden goddess of war sprinted through their number, lightning streaming from her and thunder following in her wake. She paused only once, streaked in white and red markings like the other, long hair billowing, and then she sprinted away again, howling her fury and burning the ground, hurling his men back with the power of her staff. At the same time the first appeared again, higher up the cliff.

Higher above him another appeared from the shadows, black as coal with long lines of red down his arms and chest, as if claws had raked at him a thousand times in a thousand battles. His gray eyes were livid, and the growling was coming from him. It rolled over the canyon and settled in the stones.

"Stand your ground!" Commander Pongo barked. His men obeyed, trembling, muttering the prayers of protection under their breath, bidding the spirits to be gone. The tiger leered, laughing at them.

When the wildcat screams and laughter began even Pongo shuddered. The lights continued flashing and in the echo of the canyon he couldn't tell if there were many screams or just one, coming closer and closer. The ground rumbled as if a massive force was approaching. The sound of a dozen men's feet retreating told him his battalion was faltering. "Stand…stand firm! We'll attack the tiger first…"

One more spirit appeared in a flash of red light jumping down from above, and this was the worst of all. A barbaric golden mask with two fangs piercing over the cheeks, a sharp blade in each hand, and the same red and white markings all over his body and armor shone in an unholy light. All around the mouth his fur was matted and soaked in red, as if he had torn into the throat of an enemy. Red ran down the blades and he bared his red teeth and sucked in a breath.

The roar was that of a lion, from the chest and loud enough to shatter Pongo's ears. The blade in his hands glowed with white fire and sang a note so harsh that the roar was drowned out. He covered his ears and suddenly knew that he was done.

They fled. Stumbling and screaming for their lives, the monkian battalion – one of the prides of the Alliance – ran like frightened children from the Spirit Pride. Lightning flew at their feet and the crack of a whip and the bite of steel followed their heels as they stampeded for the pass. There were villages to the south but none of the monkians intended to go anywhere near them. They would go east, east to the forests and bogs where they would be safe in their gods' thrall.

The sounds of screaming all around them sounded like an invisible army, bouncing from every wall. The tiger and panther had started roaring after them and their ears buzzed from the noise. And that war goddess hounded them all the way, smelling of burning hair and lightning as she cut at their backs.

Commander Pongo brought up the rear, aware that if the Luna ever found him or his men – or, gods forbid, General Slithe – they would be drawn and quartered for cowardice. But looking back at those bright lights, the screaming, and the bloody spirits that loomed against their dying fires, his fear was greater than ever before.

He would face Slithe if he had to. No monkian was fool enough to meddle with vengeful spirits.

* * *

The "spirits" waited a few minutes to make sure the monkians were well and truly gone. Then, the tiger wiped his face, smearing white dust as he shook his hair out. "I might look into the theater business if we ever get back."

The Thundertank, which had been placed on a careful ledge that branched off from the road, quieted its purr as Snarf climbed out of the driver's seat and bounded down the steep wall to the others. "You were all very convincing. The flash grenades really helped the headlight effect."

"I figured they'd be useful eventually." Panthro rubbed at the markings and sniffed, looking at Cheetara's staff. "That thing makes a stink."

"It's never been used with such a large charge," Cheetara replied. Her tone was cool; she had not approved of using the spirits to spook heathens, but had acquiesced to save the lives of the soldiers. Even so, she was apparently not happy. Her staff was smoking slightly, but as she blew on either bladed end the cloud faded. She quickly started braiding the end of her hair, dismayed at how wild it had gotten. Panthro went to remove the metal pieces from the tank that had made the sound of approaching feet. He'd lifted up the back wheels and attached flat pieces of metal and told Snarf to hit the gas. The result made a thumping, pattering sound when the wheels turned.

The kittens scrambled down from other walls, both rubbing their throats. "Ow. Does anyone have some water?" Kat asked.

"Screaming loud is hard," Kit added. Snarf went to fetch a canteen and Lion-O removed his mask, sweating under the metal. He licked his lips.

"Sweetshrub berries. Nice thinking guys." Now his fur was sticky, and the symbols were starting to smear as he dusted off the clay dust they'd used to lighten their fur. "Snarf, how's the tank?"

"Its bulbs need to cool down but rather well overall. It's rather like when bugs show bright colors to startle predators…fascinating." Snarf clutched the messenger in his paws and gave it to Lion-O. Panthro visibly clenched his fist, though whether it was because of the Thunderank or a desire to speak to Lynx-O, Lion-O couldn't say.

"Captain Lynx-O? Are you there?" Static churned in the machine but after a moment it cleared.

"Yes. What happened? We heard the noise from the cavern."

"We'll explain later. Suffice to say the monkians are gone and we'll need your help to find the cave you're trapped in." Lion-O felt Kit tap his arm and let her pour some water in his paw so he could clean his sticky facial fur, smiling his thanks.

"They're…? How?"

"Like I said, we'll explain. Help Panthro and me coordinate your location." Lion-O gave the messenger to Panthro and started toward one of the nearest slabs of stone. The Sword of Omens's glow had faded at last and it felt heavy and cool in his hand. He tucked it into the gauntlet; its light had helped them in their trick but it had taken energy. Lion-O glanced to the icy wall once and started following Panthro's directions.

* * *

Alluro rolled his eyes. "Will you stop already?"

The song didn't falter. The note lingered long and tremulous as a tear ready to fall and then pitched high, sweet as a broken heart. He drummed his long nails – shaped like curved icicles with a coating to strengthen them – before leisurely hitting the nearest button.

Electricity crackled into the base of the cage and the song broke in one slight shriek. When the charge cut off he examined the creature within.

It had been a shock that he'd been able to trap the bird even in his largest energy field. Bars were passable if one was ingenious, but this field could not be breached. He ran a long finger over the field and it felt smooth and hard as glass. Blue light rippled from his finger, reacting to physical presence. He smiled. The many wings were folded in on each other and the creature had to stoop its head to fit in spite of the field stretching to a globe six stories tall. It was a masterpiece of a catch.

"Don't worry. Given some time I'll have a habitat constructed for you. Then you can sing your heart out in Lune. It won't affect the climate after Mama hexes you."

One great eye gazed at him with contempt. "You would sacrifice the villages to the south to hold me and keep me from my song? What of when you leave this place and her spell no longer holds the cold? The glacier will melt far too quickly and flood the seas. You will drown them all." Her voice seemed to be many all at once, a choir speaking in unison.

"Necessary sacrifices."

"You sicken me." She shut her eyes. "This place has a delicate balance. I must gather water from their seas to keep this land frozen in the winter to keep them from flooding, and to refresh their seas with nutrients sealed within it-"

"I don't care. Maybe if they flood we can freeze that land over as well. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a Luna to travel where there isn't ice? It's torment." He trailed away on bare feet to his next sphere, listening to the hum of the machine beneath it. He had designed them all to look like crystal balls. Just like the scepter Mama had so generously crafted for him all those years ago and had sweetly upgraded. He smiled and looked it over – black steel for the handle and the setting with Luna characters inscribed around the base, and one opaque white orb at the end. So simple and nice.

This one was much smaller. It contained a plant that, if approached, sent out stinging tendrils. However, on the night of a full moon, its leaves glowed milk white and produced a liquid of amazing medicinal value. He had a place in the base where it could drain out. It only grew in the north, and it reminded him of home. The petals were rapturously dark, a rich purple.

"Aren't you going to answer the message from the battalion?" He frowned at the creature that had spoken. She lurked in the darkest and second-largest field, four stories tall. Her many segmented legs were curled under her and she was weaving as always. The ceiling above her had no lights, but that wasn't enough for her sensitive eyes; there was a curtain draped over the brighter section to keep her quiet.

"Why? A bunch of superstitious ninnies hear a breeze and they start howling. It happens nearly every day. 'Special tactics,' bah." Alluro paused beside a particularly flawless piece of ice and checked his appearance. Short and spiked up in the front and long in the back, he always thought his white hair particularly dashing against his lavender skin. And those dark blue lines around his eyes only heightened the contrast. Narcissism was an ugly word for acknowledging one's own beauty.

"Hm. I can't sense them anymore. Not at all." She tapped one leg claw against the ground. "The rumbling they make, the smells, the sounds…I think they're gone."

Alluro scowled and left off grooming. "I collect you all to look at, not listen to."

The bird made a whistling, derisive noise as he lifted his messenger pad from his belt. "Oh, where is that little note…there."

His expression darkened. "There's another frequency in the area. And…what is this about?"

The one in the dark smiled. "Maybe assassins come to kill you."

Alluro left the room and shut off the lights, wrapping everything in darkness. The bird shut her eyes again. "I can sense them. Servants of the Creator. They will help."

"Or cut out my sinning heart," said the other wryly. "Ah well. Anything's better than a cage."

"I agree." The bird let out one more soft, tender note. "Don't give up, Spydera. I hear them the way I hear the plants and sea crying out for balance. They will come."

* * *

When Lynx-O finally emerged from the cave – the last of the men, covered in dirt and all of them pale and nervous – he put out his hands blindly. "Where are you Panthro?"

The great cat approached and Lion-O squinted at the old lynx. He was well into his sixties, gray and white streaks in his hair and beard, but flecks of black in the orange coat held something of handsome luster. His face was lined but he'd probably been a looker in his younger years. His hair was growing out, slightly wispy, but this wasn't what surprised him.

Captain Lynx-O was completely blind. His eyes did not focus or change and a film seemed to cover them as he fumbled. Panthro strode toward him and gruffly pulled the filthy old cat into his arms for an embrace.

The kittens' jaws dropped. Cheetara's eyes bugged out. Lion-O, who knew of Lynx-O – despite not knowing that he was blind – was not so surprised by this affectionate move. The older cat smiled and hugged Panthro back, a head and a half shorter. He seemed to inhale deeply. "You're really here. I prayed every day the Creator would send help and he sent the best he had."

"Crazy old coot. I thought you retired." Panthro released him and his face was lighter than they'd ever seen it.

"It was a special mission. We were a scout group only, and I was selected for my hearing and sense of smell." He turned his head in the direction of the group, sniffing. "So, what are a lion, a tiger, a cheetah, two wildcats, and…I'm sorry, I don't recognize your smell."

Snarf trotted forward. "I'm a Snarf. Call me Snarf."

"Very well. What are you all doing out here with Panthro?" He began to cough and Panthro quickly led him a place where he could sit down.

"We've been sent on a mission too. Classified by the king's order." Far from being offended, Lynx-O mildly nodded. "We don't have a lot of rations but we'll share what we have."

Lion-O had no issue with this offer and neither did the others; each of the soldiers looked weary and gaunt, and the color was bleaching from their hair. Some of them looked like skeletons with fur coats. Tygra, however, grinned. "Hey, the monkians left their supplies behind. I say we help ourselves."

Half an hour of searching and looting found them plenty of meat and bread, and even a few bottles of brandy. It was a burning, earthy liquor after the ape tradition – Lion-O thought it smelled of what might have been fermented bananas – and a few sips of this did a great deal to put the color back in the soldiers' faces. The wind made them shut their eyes and beam, relishing the free air and sky. Wilykit and Wilykat seemed delighted to be able to tell the story of how they'd gotten the men out with many dramatic motions.

"So we started screaming like crazy, and the echo made it sound like a bunch of cats. Panthro and Snarf had the lights come on, and it made it really hard for the monkians to see, and we just kept running around and screaming on the road, making a ruckus. It was fun!" Then men laughed as the kittens rollicked in the audience. The smoke of cooked meat brightened their eyes almost as much as the starlight.

As this went on, Panthro kept one ear cocked toward the pass – the monkians were long gone, but one couldn't be too careful – and spoke quietly with Lynx-O. "So what's going on here? There's ice in the canyon when the sea's been filled already."

Lynx-O pushed away his wooden plate; he'd eaten nearly a loaf of bread and a chunk of cooked meat, and drunk half a canteen of water. Chunks of ice from the wall had been melted to use for a quick clean-up, and his fur was starting to look like hair again instead of a muddy mass. "Alluro began building here shortly before we arrived and the battalion was here to support him. If the climate is wrong, I can only assume the Arietta bird has been either killed or captured."

Tygra cocked his head. "The what now?"

"The Arietta bird?" Cheetara sounded shocked and Lynx-O pricked his ears in her direction. They were longer than most cats', and more pointed than Lion-O's own. "The scriptures talk about it, but most scholars think it's merely symbolic of beauty and peace."

Lynx-O shook his head. "The Arietta bird is very real. The reason the land doesn't flood villages when the ice melts is because she controls the clime here. Her song can bring warmth or snow, and she can alter the flow of the water and the speed of it. The glacier water is full of nutrients, which is what has kept this land so rich. The Mutation traders are interfering with more than economies now."

"Wait, how in the world does a bird affect weather by singing?" Tygra interrupted. Lynx-O shifted, burly tail curling around his own wrist to keep it away from the fire.

"The Arietta's song is said to be the joy of the Creator. From what I've gathered, its melody affects the weather systems by being of a certain frequency. Sound waves can affect many things. Others say she's plain magic. Of course, no one's actually been able to ask her; she's a legend for a reason. Tends to avoid people." Lynx-O sighed. "From what we've gathered, this Luna Alluro is a collector of the strange. He's also intelligent and ruthless, and enjoys mocking his enemies. That might be why he seemed so pleased we were to rot for months. Perhaps he wanted to document our descent into madness."

"He thought we'd turn cannibal like common beasts," another cat muttered. Panthro glanced toward the great building with darker dislike.

"Did Alluro do this to the canyon?" Kit asked. Lynx-O shook his head.

"We believe that was his superior. Alluro is not that powerful, but he isn't to be taken lightly. We have heard many of the monkians speak of him in the night when we listened through the cracks." Lynx-O rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat. "He is a sorcerer, although not as powerful as the leader they call Mama. It's been said he has terrible powers."

"'Terrible powers'?" Snarf asked. "Like what?"

Lynx-O shrugged. "No one is sure. He never comes out. But if he's got the Arietta bird, he has control of the canyon. The ice is held in place by something unnatural, and I can only assume the Arietta bird would have the ability to break the wall. Hence why they captured her in the first place. It took all Alluro's power, some help from Mama, and the force of the monkian battalion if my suspicions are correct."

"This 'Mama Luna' sounds like a scary lady to cross," Tygra observed. "So what if the bird is dead?"

"I have no idea. If his reputation as a collector is accurate I don't think he would kill her. He would prefer to study her, keep her caged as a songbird. He's said to be very arrogant, and quite the bigot against all non-Luna."

Lynx-O sighed. "So much is rumor that I can't advise you. If you're heading north it might be safest to climb the mountains."

"We don't have time for that," Lion-O said softly. "That might take us an entire year. Who knows what will happen with the Mutation trade in that amount of time?" Panthro glanced at him as if to agree, and he seemed to be thinking of something else.

"So we need to free the Arietta bird," Kat said reasonably. "I don't care if this guy is a sorcerer, he's only one guy. If he doesn't have baddies to help him, we can take him down together."

Cheetara was looking at her claws. "Sorcerers are nothing to laugh at Kat. They're dangerous, like Red-Eye. They dabble in dark doings, and Creator only knows what kind of deals he's got going on with the other side. I don't want to know frankly. But we have to free the Arietta bird." She crossed her arms and rested her elbows on her knees. "I take it we can't spook him out?"

"Not so easily. He's unfortunately much more skeptical and bright than the monkian battalion was." Lynx-O leaned forward, trying to get up. "I would be honored to assist you on your trek, whichever way you choose to go."

Panthro glanced at Lion-O, lips parting in worry. But Lion-O reached out to Lynx-O and clasped his hands. "Captain, you and your men have done enough. Go west to report to the king and take some time to rest. You've gone beyond the call of duty already. It's our turn."

Lynx-O seemed to frown. "You strike me as very familiar. Something about your smell."

Lion-O drew back slightly. Panthro interjected with a grunt. "He's right. You and your men should head back to the Imperial City. Tell the king and his advisor all you know about what's been happening. No offense Lynx-O, but I'd be fretting about you too much on the battlefield if you came along."

The aged lynx drew himself up straight. "There's some kick in these bones yet," he said airily. But his lips curved up and he felt for Panthro's shoulder. "Reporting to the king is our priority. But at the least let us help you storm the fortress."

Panthro seemed to want to say something but settled for another quick hug. "We'll see. Let us figure some things out and you rest with your men. "

When the soldiers were finally grouped back together and could be observed, it was a wary sight. "Think they'll be okay?" Cheetara asked. "Some of them are looking pretty sick."

Panthro shook his head. "They've made it through the night. Sunlight and freedom will put the life back in them. Trust me…they're good men. Strong men. They'll survive. But they'll need a long rest."

Snarf climbed to Cheetara's shoulder. "It sounds as if the only way we can get to Icla and Lune is by climbing the mountains, sailing the ocean, or finding this Arietta bird and stopping Alluro. Which is probably what we're going to do."

"Of course," Tygra said pleasantly. "He's only one Luna. We handled Red-Eye together didn't we?"

Cheetara shifted uneasily. "I think we should do a surprise attack. I don't like the sound of this guy."

"Me neither," Kit added. "What if he's got some of the merchants that were sent north? Maybe our parents are in there. He might be experimenting on them!"

Lion-O stood still in the cool breeze, unblinking as he looked at the great, forbidding structure. "We'll enter battle with him if we have to, but I'd prefer to free the bird and any other captives all before he knows we're there. I've had my share of crazy jerks on this trip. The kittens-"

"We know, we know," Kat said flippantly, "stay here as backup."

Tygra ruffled his hair. "It's worked well so far hasn't it?"

A little more searching gave them plenty of new supplies – containers and weapons and dried rations chiefly – but some were discarded on principle. Lion-O was horrified to discover cat meat in one of the bags, recognizable because of the obvious leopard pelt still stuck to it. Tygra discerned acceptable meats from abominations and they burned the latter somberly. Several messengers and communicators also littered the satchels. They took any they could find.

Snarf was the one who discovered a key card in what had probably been the commander's supplies. "Anyone want to bet it opens the door to Alluro's cozy castle?" he asked.

It was decided that they would enter in the dead of night, and the cats spent the day taking out cameras around the building. "We just need to get the bird out. If we can avoid Alluro that would be great," Panthro said.

Lion-O, who was looking over a set of grenades – just another couple of items they'd discovered in the supplies of the monkians – raised an eyebrow. "I'm glad these guys weren't too bright. They were armed to the nines." He rolled one over in his palm. "You know, I think Lynx-O's men can help. And they won't have to get in harm's way. We're going to need a distraction."

Tygra clapped gleefully. "I'm rubbing off on you!"

* * *

Night fell and Alluro blinked slowly. The screen had shown the cats wandering outside the fortress, but none of them had attacked so he was growing terribly bored after several hours in spite of losing the majority of his cameras. He'd tried to communicate with the battalion, but either the messengers had been abandoned or the primates refused to answer out of terror.

If the cats attacked, he would be ready. The turrets would fire energy blasts and fry anything in their path. And in the impossible chance that anyone got inside…well. He stroked the staff.

"Nervous? I would be." The shadowed creature shifted in her prison. "I don't think you're going to get any reinforcements."

"I don't need them."

"You've sent her three messages. What did she say in the last reply? 'Show some spine and kill a cat or two. Reinforcements will come.'" She laughed. "As long as you delay those cats I don't think she cares if you live or die."

Far from being upset, Alluro rubbed his nails over the orb. "That's Mama for you. And yet oddly enough, her children are all still alive." She flinched – a poisonous, cutting jerk – and he smirked at her.

"You're lucky I'm trapped. I'd have eaten you by now otherwise," she said lowly. The Arietta bird shifted and put her head under another wing. Alluro wanted to count them all but she kept moving. He'd gotten to ten before losing count last time.

He'd have time to examine them later. Right now he watched the screen, ready to fire on the cats if they came into range.

The building shook and he fell, floor rumbling under his feet. Alluro pushed himself to his hands and knees, scanning the screens. "How did they-?"

Another great tremor, and another. Alluro focused on one and bared his teeth. The cats had taken weapons from the monkians' supplies and were firing on the fortress. He couldn't fire on them at this distance. Worst of all was the smoke; grenades were being blasted into the western side and the smoke and snow mixed to blind the cameras. He scowled. "If that's how they want to play, fine. These walls are impenetrable."

He never noticed the light blinking to let him know a keycard had been used to open the main door.

* * *

"I like walking in the front door. You start to miss it after breaking in four times or so." Tygra shut the metal door and shuddered. "Man these Luna…do you think they can really melt in extreme heat?"

Panthro seemed least affected by the chill, his breath clouding in front of him. "We don't have long before he catches on. If we can free the bird quickly we can just get out of here, maybe smash the fortress with her help."

"Should we split up then?" Cheetara asked. Lion-O looked at her and Tygra frowned.

"Wouldn't it be safer to stick together?" Cheetara glanced at her staff.

"Well, if we need to find the bird quickly it would be easier if we covered more ground. Splitting up has been useful before." Her tone was pointed Lion-O cocked his head at her. She sighed, looking exasperated. "I'm worried about leaving the others to distract him for too long. We're running out of time, and I'm fastest on my own."

Tygra put his hands on his hips. "Girl, I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but it's really annoying. You're acting like you're dying to pull some crazy heroics."

He looked to Lion-O for support. Blue eyes quiet, Lion-O crossed his arms. Cheetara lifted her chin. "Tygra and Snarf used their abilities. I want to use mine." A tense challenge hung in the air.

"…Are you sure about this Cheetara? You're fast, but if anyone runs into Alluro on their own…"

Tygra's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" Lion-O sighed.

"She's right. She's much faster without us. But if you see Alluro – if any of us see him – we go for backup. Understood? This is not a mission where we seek out the enemy." Lion-O looked at each of them. "Priority is the bird and any hostages. Not revenge, not dealing with Alluro. We need to get out. You've each got a messenger from the monkian supplies?" They all nodded. "Report in five minute intervals. See anything weird, get out of there."

Cheetara seemed to relax. "Thank you. It's…I'll explain later." She took off in a yellow blur and Tygra resisted the urge to make a rude gesture.

Panthro took to the lower levels, the basements installed in the ground. Tygra paused. "You and I should stick together. Panthro wouldn't like you to go alone. Unless you think I'm too slow to keep up too," he said to Lion-O. The lion smiled faintly, sensing Tygra's stubborn dislike of Cheetara's idea.

"I'll watch your back." They took to the main level halls, Tygra leading the way. They checked door after door, most of them filled with machinery and cold vents. Lion-O's ears cocked and twitched as he listened, Tygra nosing through anything that looked interesting. Nothing caught his eye – mostly a bunch of Luna history and records about various creatures to be collected – and they kept going, Tygra noting which doors to stop at again. Once or twice they found strange devices with spikes and prods and needles. Some of them had blood on them. One contained a bird with all blue feathers, panicking in a tiny glass ball meant to contain it. Lion-O opened the orb and let it fly free, hopefully to a window. Tygra kicked the machine over, shattering it. He hoped it was valuable.

Most rooms held files, not experiments. "What in the world…? A non-sentient lizard with six legs and a rainbow crest? Weird." Tygra threw the file back into the room and Lion-O followed him to the next one. "Why do you think Cheetara's acting like this?"

Lion-O shrugged. "I don't know. She's been kind of quiet since she recovered from the Mutation. I feel like she's been upset but she hasn't said anything."

"Women. Aren't they supposed to talk too much about their feelings?" Lion-O didn't reply to this, checking in with the others on the messenger. "Ooh, a locked door. Exciting."

The metal was white and traced with chrome designs, and the doors were meant to slide apart. A keypad was beside the door and Tygra rolled his fingers. "Want to bet a bad code will set off an alarm?"

"You're probably right. Can you figure out which buttons he presses?"

Tygra exhaled on the buttons. "I think I see prints from his fingers. But I don't know what the order would be."

Lion-O examined the door. "Well, let's try a more direct approach then." He kept the Sword of Omens sheathed and took out one of his dual blades instead, as it was flatter. He had Tygra pull one door and he pulled the other, slipping the edge of the blade into the hairline opening. With some work – and Tygra wondering if the blade would snap – they prized the doors apart, a cool breeze blowing over them as the metal slid into the sides. The silence was a relief.

"Hopefully it's not a silent alarm or something," Tygra muttered.

"It isn't. He's not so clever as he thinks he is."

The two cats looked at each other. Neither of them had spoken, and the voice was undeniably female. More like many females speaking in unison. "It's safe. Perhaps you can help us?"

Lion-O checked the Sword of Omens. No sign of caution, if Tygra was any judge. He entered the room and Tygra followed, eyes shifting quickly around. It was dark blue inside, no sign of a lightbulb anywhere on the ceiling. However, there was no want for light; what appeared to be cells made of energy spheres filled the room like marbles placed evenly along a floor. Some were the size of fruits; others were larger than houses. Tygra looked at the nearest one and saw, to his alarm, a young white cat sitting inside, watching them with pink eyes. The irises were faintly blue, and the boy's hair was long and shaggy. "What the heck?"

"Alluro wanted to study albinism in felines. He was rare enough to be considered part of the collection." The voice came again, disgusted, and Lion-O glanced around again, stooping by the base of the bauble-shaped prison. The boy – about the kittens' age – sniffled and Tygra whispered a few curses for Alluro. "Try the back. There seem to be switches there. They should disrupt the power flow."

"Where are you?" Lion-O called. Tygra followed the being's advice warily, finding several plugs and wires. A little experimenting – and a spark that made his fur stand on end – and the energy field died with a sputter. Lion-O helped the boy stand up and Tygra scoured the room for the speaker.

"I'm over here. In the largest sphere." Tygra set his eyes on the prison and didn't understand what he was seeing for a second. It looked like a big mass of feathers, and maybe some kind of clawed bird talons. Then he looked up and his mind wrapped disbelievingly around the creature.

She was a bird in the same way the ocean was water. She was so big, so strange, that he couldn't connect the concepts. Rather than two wings she seemed to have many pairs, starting where a normal bird's would and proceeding down nearly to her legs. As tall as the massive ceiling, the bird had a graceful neck, curled in with the curve of the prison, and iridescent feathers shimmered along her head and face like prisms dripping off rain. And several long, thin tail feathers curled around the bottom part of the bubble. The upper sides were light gold, and the under sides were the same prism hues as the bottoms of her wings and face.

Tygra shut his mouth. "…Are you the Arietta bird?"

The dark eyes shut once. "I am. Tell me; what havoc has been wrought outside? What of the oceans and villages? Are the people alive?"

Lion-O was a little slower in approaching, for the boy had apparently decided to fix his arms around the lion's waist. "The ocean is at normal levels for summer, and the canyon is full of ice. If it melts the rivers and oceans will flood, but that hasn't happened yet."

The bird's eyes widened. "Thank the Creator. I can still restore this place." She shifted restlessly. "Please, release me and everyone in here. We have been held captive for months, even years."

"Are you part of Alluro's collection? He keeps you crammed in these tiny cages?" Tygra looked around in revulsion. "What kind of monster does this?"

"One that does not care for any but his own power and kind. Alluro has long believed himself a great learner and has a taste for the exotic. I stood in the way of his superior and he decided to keep me as a pet instead of killing and plucking me." How anyone could capture such a large creature was beyond Tygra. She seemed to notice his look. "He has long had the ability to control other creatures. His superior gave him a staff brimming with wicked magic, and it gave him the power to overcome me with his army."

Tygra didn't want to comment on dark magic. Actually, he didn't catch the latter part of her words.

Because sitting in one of the nearest bubbles, in a shadowy place with a darker-purple glow forming the cell, was a spider creature sitting and listening to their every word.

And it. Was freaking. Huge.

* * *

Cheetara whirled down the halls, kicking open doors and listening intently for the sound of feet, or a voice. Lion-O had called twice already; he would be due to contact them again in four minutes.

He had been upset when she took off. Cheetara shrugged off the memory of his face and paused long enough to catch her breath. Oh, maybe she was being stupid after all. It had been such a vivid dream though, even for being under the influence of a terrible fever. Had it been a vision? A warning? A hallucination?

Could it have been the demon of all demons? Could she have really seen the Harbinger? Red-Eye had claimed she had, but a witch was hardly the most credible source. But the dream from when they first set out needled at her heart. And now that she'd seen a vision with the others facing the monster, and what might happen to them-

Cheetara stopped. Her fingers folded over the staff coolly.

Then she turned around and barreled into a Luna, nearly impaling him with the blades. Electricity arced from the ends, caught by his metal staff, and he grunted.

He kicked her hard, in the stomach, and she jumped back feeling her abdomen burn. "Very good. You nearly got me. I see why you've been such a bother so far." The Luna could only be Alluro; he had a smug, intellectual glint to his eyes and a crafty crook in his mouth. Surprisingly handsome in the Luna way, his white hair was slicked back neatly, short in front and longer in the back, smooth as silk. His lavender skin contrasted with it well, and the ice-colored horns on his head matched his teeth.

She went in for another attack which he just managed to block. Cheetara got the feeling that if he couldn't stop and focus, he wouldn't be able to try any tricks. Alluro grunted under the force of her blow and pushed her back, swinging the handled of the staff out to knock her grip on her weapon loose. She scratched at his face with her nails, unwilling to relent, but he had been around more than once; he feinted low but jerked to club her in the head with the butt of his staff.

Cheetara wasn't sure if she passed out or if she just hit the ground. But when she opened her eyes and saw her staff beside her, she couldn't lift her arm. In fact, she couldn't move at all.

Alluro's staff was glowing and he had his arms crossed. Two blue lines across his cheek marked where her claws had struck. "Very nice attempt. Probably the best I've seen. But it's over now."

The light pulsed and Cheetara slowly sat up. Surprised, she tried to lift her arm. Her muscles strained but as if she were weighted down, her arm wouldn't move. "Stand up," Alluro said genially. She obeyed, knees locking. Strings seemed to pull her limbs and Cheetara's heart began to race.

"What did you do to me?" she asked.

"You've done well to oust Red-Eye, Tug-Mug, and Amok. But their powers were paltry party favors compared to mine." He smirked. "I can control the bodies of those around me. It makes no difference if it's one or twenty, I can control all."

Cheetara stared at him, still trying to move. That light was inexorable, obedience given form. She couldn't disobey as long as it glowed. "But you can't…no. I won't."

He crooked a finger at her and – after nearly tripping over unwilling feet – she followed him. "Pick up your weapon. Control is an old school of magic, I grant you. Probably not one Thundera has ever heard of. Censorship will do that. You got rid of the old black magic. And you wonder why Mama is the only one who can stem the coming tide?"

He clucked his tongue. "Come to my office dear. I have a few questions for you. And I'll need that stolen messenger back."

She handed it over, fingers twitching as it left them. Then Cheetara followed him in silence, unable to protest and clutching her staff uselessly to her side.

0

"Does he do that often?" The Arietta bird watched as Lion-O helped Tygra sit up, only half-conscious.

"No. He has a bad case of arachnophobia is all." Lion-O had to force his tail not to tuck between his legs; the creature was massive, black-haired and streaked with scarlet. Where a great, bulbous head should have been there was a black feline torso, resting like a centaur's top. It fused into a swollen abdomen, much like Araknay's form but many times bigger. This one's face was different though; it looked vaguely more catlike but had no hair save for the black spider fuzz on her head. Smaller eyes dotted her cheeks and around her thin lips were a pair of mandibles that opened as she smiled.

"Well well. You were right, Arietta bird. Handsome heroes have come to loose the slaves it would seem." The woman cocked her head. "How bold, considering Alluro's power."

Lion-O released Tygra, who migrated to the opposite side of the room to examine other cages. The boy followed him. "Who are you?"

She batted her lashes at him. "I am Spydera. Once a witch, now a captive in more ways than one. Shall you deliver a beast like myself as well as a beauty like the bird?"

Lion-O gazed up at her. "If you pose no harm to innocent people, then yes."

"She has a cutting tongue but she is certainly not so cruel as she would have you believe," the bird said patiently. "She has been here as long as I. She lived in the higher caverns of the canyon. We're friends."

Spydera's eyes glittered. "More like amiable neighbors. I prey on beasts that skulk in the canyon, if you wonder about my diet. I'm no demon boy, in spite of my form." Her segmented legs shifted. "It must seem terrible. My ugliness has scarred the pretty faces of many youths such as yourselves." He got the idea she was half mocking him and half…not.

"Actually, I've seen another like you." In retrospect this was a foolish thing to say. Spydera lifted her head sharply, legs coiling as she pushed a little nearer to the bubble's wall. The dour smile vanished.

"What? Where?"

Lion-O paused, aware of how big she was looming over him even in her cell. "…She was near the Fel Sea, living in the caves that flooded. She used to climb up to higher places when the water rose." It took a long, dry moment to continue, "Her name was Araknay."

Spydera hissed. "My daughter! One of the youngest! She lives?"

Lion-O's jaw didn't quite work for a second. He lowered his head. "…I'm sorry."

As suddenly as the energy came it went. Spydera – all her legs, all the great, swollen body – seemed to crumple into a pile. "Then…my last daughter is dead. Alluro spoke truly."

"You're her mother? She mentioned becoming a witch to drive away enemies, and then being cursed…"

Spydera lifted her head weirdly, eying him from a strange angle. "Oh yes. After what they did to us, to the girls of the village, we burned with rage. I led the way into power…and darkness. When I attempted to rectify my mistake, the demons played in accordance with their nature and turned our powers against us. If it had been me alone, it would be all right. But my daughters…"

She sighed. "They are gone. All gone. Drowned in the curse I brought down."

Lion-O felt such sorrow for her that he reached for the bubble's edge. It was smooth and cold, impenetrable. "She didn't die cursed. It was lifted from her at the last."

Spydera gave him a hard look. "How?"

Lion-O realized what he would have to say and wondered if it was the best decision. This creature would undoubtedly hate him. But at the same time, how could he deny the truth from a grieving mother, monster though she'd become?

Lion-O slowly took out the Sword of Omens. It extended quietly and he held it so she could see. "This is the Sword of Omens. I'm trying to see to its full restoration to power. It…I didn't want it to, but it…it stabbed her. I didn't mean it to happen. She turned into a cat and then she died. She was buried in the village."

Spydera's face was unreadable. He could not tell if she wanted to eat him or just ignore him. She looked over the blade. "This is the Sword. It slays evil and pierces darkness."

Lion-O put it away. "She wanted to see her family again. I don't know why it killed her. But I'm sorry it happened this way. The curse was lifted, and I…I don't think she suffered. But I'm still so sorry."

The Arietta bird was quiet. Spydera dragged one shorter leg against the field. "You know, I actually believe you," she said at last. Lion-O lifted his head to meet her eyes. "The curse was lifted…if it saw her as purely wicked, it would not have bothered, would it? It tore the dark away and sent her home. That is a picture I could tolerate."

Lion-O looked to the Arietta bird and then to Spydera. "Are you…I mean, you won't…?"

"What? Eat you? Hardly. You did not place this curse on me or mine, and if what you say is true then you tried to do what you could to help. It is not your fault she died. Far more mine than anyone's." Spydera drew herself up. "Set me loose. Set all the creatures here loose. My sorrow needs an outlet, and Alluro will receive it."

"How? We can't enter the main base. You and I are far too large for any room save this one," the Arietta bird replied. "Perhaps you could fit in the cells below…"

"There are cells downstairs? Are there mutated people in there?" Tygra had finally regained his speech, and Lion-O felt something slinky run across his foot. Three unfamiliar creatures were sitting on Tygra's shoulders and a tiny beast with a tail as long as his leg was coiled on his belt. Another one was on Lion-O's leg, poking its nose into his pocket.

"Yes. The last of the prisoners from the south outside of Lune. The others would be in the city already. Alluro performs many experiments here; he was one who helped discover the different forms Mutation could take." The Arietta bird followed Tygra with her eyes and when he finally undid the force field she opened her wings, stretching. They spread out over the room like clouds, four pairs at a time. Lion-O counted sixteen that lined the lithe, long body. She tucked them to her sides again.

Lion-O jumped when he felt the messenger buzz against his side. "Cheetara? Panthro? What's up?"

"Ah, so I was right. You're messing about with my collection."

Lion-O's blood froze. From the messenger he'd given to Cheetara, the signal was displaying an unfamiliar Luna's face. "I wouldn't try to open the door to the outside. It's reinforced inside and out, and only I know the combination. Besides, a friend of yours was hoping you'd join us."

The messenger shifted to display an image that made Lion-O want to immediately be wherever Alluro was with a blade at his throat. Because Cheetara was standing stock still in the middle of a cold, glittering room, eyes wide. "He controls people. Their bodies. Guys, it's a trap."

"Really. Whatever gave you that idea?" Alluro turned the image to himself. "As your pretty little cat observed, I can control people physically. Why, I could order her to throw herself out a window if I want. If you want to stop me, you'll have to come talk it over with me, face to face. And quickly. Let's say three minutes."

Lion-O was aware of Tygra staring at the screen over his shoulder. "If you hurt her," Lion-O said softly, "I'll cut your head off like I did to Nfumu."

"If I don't get to you first," Panthro snarled. His voice was tinny through the connection.

"You don't want us for enemies," Tygra said, eyes dark.

The messenger shut off and Lion-O whirled to the Arietta bird. "He controls people? How?"

"His staff. It allows him to manipulate their bodies. It is nearly impossible to resist. He'll control you all and kill you if you attack him directly." The bird started picking at the wires of the cells around her.

"We have to go. If he puts one hand on Cheetara," Tygra began.

"We'll rip him to pieces." Lion-O did not have time to be surprised at how low his voice had become. "I had no idea he would have a power like that. Most of them just control ice, and Cheetara's always been able to fight them…"

"I will assist you." Spydera climbed down from the base of what had been the field that held her and stretched her legs. "Doubtless you want to free the hostages below, and I want to wreak havoc on Alluro's fortress. I will release the beasts from their cages and herd them to a safer location after Alluro is dealt with. Destroy Alluro's staff; he would have you believe otherwise, but such powers do not belong to him alone. The forces require a conduit save for the most powerful of witches, and if you take the staff, he will have no way to control you."

"Let's go then. Bet he's never dealt with an invisible tiger before." Tygra and Lion-O took off immediately and the Arietta bird continued freeing the others, a low, tremulous note starting in her throat. The pale boy stayed beside her, tucked safely beneath her feathers. The fortress had held them long enough; a song could not be caged forever.

Lion-O deferred to the Sword of Omens. If he was going up against a sorcerer, he wanted a blade that hated evil. There was no way he would hesitate this time.

Alluro would be stopped. Lion-O would not risk losing another innocent.

* * *

Snarf did not like this.

His species had fairly good hearing due to their large, sensitive ears, and he could vaguely make out the sound something heavy approaching the canyon. The ground vibrated lightly under his toes, like the feet of a bug on a log. He'd alerted the others and Lynx-O – to his approval – had reacted immediately.

"It could be reinforcements for Alluro. The others are in, so stay the cannons and gather to the perches above. We'll have the advantage if we take the high ground. We won't take to a cavern." The old cat was blind but his ears twitched and flicked, and Snarf got the idea that he knew exactly where every single one of his men were and could call each by name.

The kittens followed orders, and watched like hawks as one of the lieutenants nervously drove the Thundertank up the slopes to conceal it near their location. If he got a single ding in it, they were not taking the fall for it.

"You've good eyes, Snarf. Tell me what you see." Lynx-O sat beside the rocky canyon wall, listening to the wind, and Snarf climbed onto a chunk of stone to look toward the entrance. "I've a sneaking suspicion the apes are not as foolish as we might have hoped."

"Well, to be fair the plan was just to help you escape. We didn't care how long it worked." Snarf cupped his paws around his eyes. After a few long minutes he licked his lips. "Good news or bad news first?"

"Whichever order you prefer."

"Well, the good news is that, although it is the Monkian force-"

One of the men went absolutely white.

"It appears to be less than one quarter of the original group. I see about seventy, give or take."

The cats murmured, slightly heartened. Lynx-O asked, very softly, "The bad news?"

"…They look ready for murder. And if they get into the fortress, I have no doubt they'll kill the others."

Lynx-O reached out to his side, feeling for one of the weapons they'd dragged up to the slopes. "We won't let them."

"They have more weapons. They might have shielding. Our weapons aren't going to be enough with just twenty cats or so." Snarf looked at the men, only now starting to regain their strength after months of captivity. They would need much more food, rest, and conditioning before they would be able to fight again. Their wasted bodies looked like old trees.

Lynx-O shook his head. "You and the kittens take the Thundertank and get out of the area. We'll stay them as long as we can, and kill all we can. If they've returned, we owe them retribution for our imprisonment."

Snarf stared at him as he stood up, holding one of the smoke grenades. "Private Leop?"

"Sir." He was a taller leopard, tail thick and voice low.

"I'm trusting you with getting the kittens and Snarf to a safe location. You can drive a tank?"

"I received basic training and an operator license."

"Good. You have your orders. Protect the children and if at all possible, help Panthro and his fellows complete their mission; the safety of these is your utmost priority." Lynx-O found each kitten's shoulders and shooed them toward the private.

Leop nodded. "Understood sir."

Kat turned around, alarmed. "But you guys-!"

"We'll be all right. We've a few tricks planned." Lynx-O smiled strangely. "I have a message to send to those that would torment my men and harm Thundera's families. It will be a bitter one."

* * *

 _End of Episode 14_


	15. Chapter 15

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 15**

 **Sorcerer's Thrall, Part 2**

* * *

Commander Pongo was angry enough to bite his own tongue in half. He had nearly done so twice now, and the inside of his mouth was raw.

Three-quarters of his men had refused to return, even when the few of them who had their communicators – only a dozen or so – had received Alluro's message. Only his brightest and best had felt the hatred he had; the others had continued running like cowards.

A farce. A trick. And they'd fallen for it.

Months of staking out this place, worthless, because he and his men had been like frightened children in a dark room. He would discipline himself with tattoos later for his weakness, placed against his temples for maximum pain. But he would do it with cutlery with handles carved from cat bone. Alluro was strong, but if he was killed by the cats the monkians would make sure there would be nothing left.

He could smell the cats. They smelled of filth, rotting in the dark too long, and unbathed fur. Fear lurked in their sweat, and the wind carried it to his sniffing nostrils. The scouts would die first, then they would enter the fortress. The wind fell on them, so the cats were on higher ground. Smart.

Commander Pongo gestured to his men to climb. They would come like tidal wave, crashing upon on their weak, starved foes.

* * *

"So…a cheetah. Rare for these parts." Alluro lifted her wrist with his thin fingers and examined her claws. "How funny. Your claws retract." He pressed the base of her nail and her claws lengthened. Cheetara twitched.

"A lot of cats can do that."

"A common little creature, the cat, and yet an empire of felines has managed to become one of the greatest in the world." Alluro released her arm. "But I'm sure you've no idea how basic your culture is."

Cheetara glared at him, throat bobbing as she struggled to lift her arm of her own volition. "At least it doesn't approve of turning people into monsters and kidnapping them," she spat. Alluro took her staff and began to examine it with a furrowed brow. "Give that back."

"…I've seen this craftsmanship only once before. Where did you get it?" he asked, inspecting the blades and swinging it once.

"I've had it since I was a baby. My parents found me on their doorstep and the staff was with me." Her jaw tensed and she tried again to kick out, to move just a little. Her muscles ached from the strain. "Not that it's really any of your business."

"A foundling? You've no tribe?" Alluro crossed the room. Its floor was reflective as a mirror; in fact, many flat surfaces had mirrors, and Cheetara could see their faces in many of them. Alluro paused often to admire himself from each angle and she could have spit on his narcissism. If she could have spit. His bookshelves were silver inlaid with crystal, and many glass cases containing exotic pets lined the desks. The room was extravagantly large for a bedroom-office – she couldn't decide what it really was – big enough to fit a hundred people comfortably. Books were everywhere, most of them written in Luna characters. Alluro put her staff on one of the tables and leaned against the side, arms crossed. "Cheetahs have lived in tribes for centuries."

Cheetara scowled. "Well, I don't. I was adopted. Why do you care?"

"Because if you have this sort of weapon, and you're a cheetah, then you're likely to be one of Ta-She's followers. This quality and strength, the ore and particular refining method…I couldn't mistake it."

Cheetara blinked. "Who?"

Alluro rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb. Even the cats of Thundera, the stupidest nation in the world, know of Ta-She." He approached slowly, his face was hungry, calculating. "Her powers…they make mine look like trifles. I have heard the legends. And if you know where she is, you're going to tell me."

"I have no idea who you're talking about. I didn't grow up with cheetahs." She bared her teeth. "Stay away from me!"

Alluro looked scornful. "Is it really possible you don't know? But then, the story is more common among the practitioners of magic." He began to pace around her, as if considering. "Ta-She is a witch of no small power, although I suppose she'd have your people believe she's a goddess. A cult has formed around her, consisting mainly of female cheetahs. She too has the power to control others…but far beyond my own capabilities." He said this with grudging admiration. "For some reason it is limited to men. In spite of this, many women follow her. Probably because she promises power or some other nonsense. I can only control you to the point of active movements, but she could make a man stop breathing. Make senses activate, cause pain with mental influence. That kind of control takes exquisite care."

Cheetara didn't care about this. She cared about keeping him talking and trying to get to her staff. But her feet were glued in place. "So she's better at your game than you and you want to learn her tricks. Why should I care?"

He sighed. "I suppose you wouldn't. Assuming you really aren't a member of the cult. Which I doubt. Let's talk about why you and your fellow hairy beasts are here. What tipped you all off to our plans?"

Cheetara wanted to say nothing, but she didn't want to completely cut off the chance to stall him. So she said after some thought, "We found some suspicious Mutation and just followed the trail. We figured it led north to Lune. Of course, finding out you've captured innocent people and creatures made us stop to help out."

Alluro was too close. She could feel the cold of his arm against her back, inches away. "It's not just the Mutation is it? No…you know there's something more going on. Don't you feel him stirring?"

Cheetara managed to turn her head. She didn't want to be afraid, but Alluro was giving her a positively evil look. "The Harbinger. He's devouring the heart of your world…as he does to all worlds. Once he's finished he'll leave to find another, and all life on this planet will end."

Her heart jumped when he twined an index finger in her hair, as if to examine its consistency. "What? But…what does that have to do with Mutation? And these mutated people you're taking to Lune?"

"He is not yet beyond control, silly girl. As soon as she amasses enough strength, Mama is going to pull him from the heart of this world where he feeds, and she will use the army to subdue him, and as he kills them, she will channel their souls into a spell to bind him. Like wearing out a beast before you cut its throat for a fine steak." Cheetara felt cold all over as he spoke so plainly. "The sooner this happens the better. He grows stronger every day. You've been fighting against the salvation of the planet."

"Innocent people have to die? And their souls used to bind a demon? Cities and kingdoms destroyed? Yeah, you're just the picture of saints." Cheetara felt him tug her hair painfully. "Why work with the Alliance then?"

"A good distraction. And besides, they have the manpower we lack in the south. They don't care what we do so long as they're warring well against your kingdom." Alluro tugged her ear curiously, as if to see if it could respond to stimuli.

"Why are you telling me all this?" she asked at last, afraid for the answer.

"Because the lot of you will die here. You were dead the minute you went up against someone so much more powerful and intelligent than yourselves." Alluro shook his head. "Although you might be worth something to Ta-She if you are of one of the cheetah tribes."

"I told you, I was a foundling!" Cheetara tried not to think of her parents because it made her long desperately for her Daddy and Mama. Sai would have screamed Alluro to dust, a whirlwind of fury and fur and claws. And Daddy would have beaten him a perfect dark purple instead of lavender.

She wanted Daddy especially right now.

"I don't believe you. If you're of the cult you ought to have a mark somewhere, her symbol." Cheetara stared at him uncomprehendingly. A mark? Like a tattoo? She disliked them. Panthro's seemed to have a purpose, but even that one made her wince. His eyes narrowed. "Fine then. I'll look for it. If you're telling the truth I'll find out soon enough."

With that he yanked at the hem of her shirt and yanked it over her head, tearing it with the force, like he was taking off the exterior of a cocoon to look inside at the forming butterfly. Cheetara's stomach turned and she would have given anything to claw him in the face as the move yanked her hair and head. He paused, hearing her breath hitch. "Oh for the…don't flatter yourself. No real Luna would dirty himself with a cat. I'm inspecting an animal."

With that he continued examining her fur for a mark he wouldn't find, and Cheetara felt her eyes grow hot with humiliation.

* * *

Panthro found the hostages all right. Several clean cages full of mutated cats and dogs and other creatures, easy enough. But when the message came through he left them in the dark basement; they would have to wait just a little longer.

Stupid girl. Splitting up had been risky, but if she'd just gone for backup it might have been all right. But Alluro might have cut her off from backup, he sounded like that kind of creep. What kind of cheap move was that, controlling a person? Curse witches and their vile practices. If he hurt that dumb girl, Panthro would pop his head from his shoulders and throw it out the window. His mind jumped from anger to worry to fury, all the while considering how to handle a hostage situation.

It had become very evident to him that he'd grown dangerously fond of his group. Panthro was not given to warm fuzzy friendship feelings, but Cheetara had been growing on him ever since she'd gone back for him at Red-Eye's keep. And Tygra kept his head and always seemed to have a good idea, which Panthro knew was valuable. And Lion-O was the terrible mixture of nobility and naiveté; coolly assured one minute and hopelessly gentle the next. He could cut the head from a foe's body and sit with a kid sick from loss the next second.

Panthro knew the dangers of getting attached to one's fellows. It was dismaying to see how it was happening now.

He met Tygra and Lion-O on the main floor, heading for what looked like a main stairwell. Both of them looked livid and Panthro took a deep breath. He was the most experienced, he had to make sure there was a plan. "Okay. We find this guy and then what? We can't let him control us."

"I sneak in invisible and club his head in. Simple." Tygra's clever mind was obviously distracted, and Lion-O's claws seemed longer than usual. More curved. "You guys distract him."

Panthro honestly could not think of anything better at that moment. The longer they took, the greater the chance of Alluro doing something awful. Not to mention Alluro might have reinforcements coming in; he wasn't a fool. "I'll go in first to keep his attention. You're invisible, behind me. Lion-O, stay outside the room in case we need backup."

Both cats nodded. "Did either of you message the kittens?"

"The signal is gone. I think he's jamming it," Tygra said. "He'll kill her if we take too long."

"All right. Follow my lead. Stick to the plan no matter what. This isn't the kind of person that will spare a hostage; our only hope is to take him by surprise."

Panthro had always been the kind of soldier to lead the charge, bear the brunt of an enemy's weapon. He was broad as a wall and stood like a mountain, and he'd been pierced more than once by spears. Dying did not frighten him much in itself; going in the line of duty would be ideal. But he didn't think Alluro could drive a knife in deep enough to kill him.

He looked pretty weedy in the messenger.

Up the stairs, climbing them on ever colder feet, Panthro gestured for the others to stand behind him. This door was silver and chrome, and so over-designed that it must belong to an egomaniac. Alluro's voice came from the other side and Panthro held up three fingers.

He lowered one. Then two. On three, he barreled through the door with his shoulder and ran for Alluro, ready to break a spine. Cheetara was not near the Luna, and any reservations he may have had for the sake of a hostage in the crossfire went out.

He stopped three inches from the Luna and roared in anger. It was like he was a windup toy that hadn't been wound quite enough and his limbs had been forced to stop. He felt Tygra rush by in a breeze, noticing the Luna had Cheetara's staff in his hand. He lifted his own staff high. It pulsed with a brighter light and Tygra came into view, tripping like a drunk and flickering like a bird's wing before his form solidified.

There was one second of silence before Alluro shifted the staff and eyed the door. Cords shot out and he whirled Cheetara's staff, intercepting them and jerking at the gauntlet.

Lion-O moved like mist, roiling after the cords and swinging the sword, the sound of the staff meeting the blade cracking the air. Alluro panted, and realized the lion wasn't looking at the staff, dimming its influence.

Lion-O snaked forward, Sword of Omens brandished and the blade aimed for Alluro's neck. Alluro snapped his head back – the sword slid so gently against it, opening a slit – and kicked Tygra's legs out from under him and hurled him bodily in the way. The blade halted and Lion-O's eyes widened, pulling back instantly. The Luna's staff pulsed once more, and Lion-O froze.

His face was like a mask in its anger. Alluro panted twice and slowly smoothed his hair back as the lion lowered the sword. There was a faint line where the blade had clipped him, dark purple, and a single drop of blood dripped from it. "You…are quite good. If I hadn't been warned about your little invisibility trick…and those cords. Yes, I see now. Red-Eye would have been quite flummoxed."

He smiled. "But all for naught. Mama warned me of all the tricks you would try. Not much of a rescue, eh?" He mock-bowed in Cheetara's direction and Panthro really saw her for the first time. Alluro had her sitting in the middle of the room on her knees, like a small child in the corner for breaking something. And she wasn't wearing anything except her smallclothes.

For two seconds Panthro feared the worst and remembered so quick and painful a dark, lovely face and a husky humming at his cradle. Then he looked at Alluro, vision blurring red. Alluro noticed this look and made a nasty face at him. "What is it with you felines? Do you really think I'd stoop so low for a smelly hairball? Do you rut about with any pretty rodents you see?"

He rounded Cheetara condescendingly. "I found no mark. I suppose you really don't have any connection to the witch. Too bad. It might have saved you." Tygra bared his teeth when Alluro pulled her hair like a petulant bully. The Luna raised his staff and Tygra was forced to the ground, face hitting the floor with a loud smack. Panthro saw blood and wondered if his nose was broken or just bleeding.

"Well, it's nice to have everyone here. I'll bet that's the Sword of Omens, hm?" Alluro stopped in front of Lion-O and patted the top of his head. "I'll take that in a minute or so. I have a few questions I'd like answered. I might be willing to release one or two of you if I like what I hear." The lie was simpering.

"…Where are her clothes?" Lion-O's voice was calm and Alluro cocked one eyebrow.

"A bit of a mess. I was checking for a cult's mark." He gestured to a few scraps of orange and brown cloth. Lion-O's eyes traced them and then found Alluro's amused expression. "Upset? I suppose it would be embarrassing for one your devout little women. You're lucky the monkians didn't get ahold of her. They can be real barbarians."

Lion-O's eyes never wavered. "Not that any of you are any better off at this rate. You," he said, raising the staff in Panthro's direction. He felt his fur lift in response and detested it. "I'll have you know I called in what little of the battalion would return, and they're attacking the scouts right now. I saw your chummy hug with that old feline. If you'd all just left and been on your way, he might have survived. So would you. But instead you go mucking around in important business."

Panthro grinned. "That old cat will make it."

Alluro's eyes narrowed. "We'll see."

* * *

Kat gripped the dash of the tank with pale knuckles. "The monkians are halfway up."

"Not all of them. The flash grenades blinded some and they fell. Do you think their backs are broken?" Kit was holding Snarf around the middle and he wriggled free to climb to her shoulder and lick her cheek.

"The men are hurt and tired. They won't be able to fight off big warriors like the monkians. I sure hope Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro, and Cheetara are okay." Kat stamped his foot, not answering her question. "Leop, don't you want to do something?"

The private looked at him. "Those are my brothers at arms. I ate with them, fought with them, suffered with them. I want nothing more than to help them. I am doing that by making sure you stay safe as ordered."

Kat blinked, irritated. "Following orders? How does that help?"

"If you ever enter the military and have many men depending on you, you'll understand." Leop's short claws dug into the cloth of his breeches. "We should go if we want to get out. I don't want to leave the others, but I can't risk you being hurt."

They were concealed behind the far side of the fortress, in a place where the cameras had been taken out. They could just barely make out the dots climbing the canyon wall and the flashes from weaponry and grenades dropping on them. Kat didn't like the monkian force, but he had to admire – in a terrified, furious way – that they were determined. Even being blinded and burnt didn't make them stop for long.

His sister kept looking at the fortress. "What do you think these doors are for?"

"I don't know, a side entrance?" Kat felt the cold metal and wondered how it was possible to be so frigid when it wasn't quite cold enough to see one's breath in the regular air. The clothes Cheetara had made them were snug and warm, safe. What if the others were in trouble? Maybe they should all have gone in. But then who would have held off the monkians?

Kat had come to realize that being a kid on an adventure sucked. He was too little to fight much and too young for anyone to let him risk his life. But he wanted to help his friends, protect his sister. He was old and smart enough to want to help but too young to do anything. The idea of sitting here, hiding, while they were killed or hurt made him want to cry. And punch things.

Kit leaned her head against the wall, cheek pressed to it shivering. "There's someone in there."

Snarf mimicked her and Leop gestured for her to return to the Thundertank. "Miss Kit, I can't have you outside the vehicle…"

"Really! I can hear things in there!" Kit began searching for the seam of the doorway. It was doubtlessly locked from the inside, but Kat slowly went to help her. What if the others were on the other side? "Hello!?" she called.

Something tapped on the other side. Something big. Leop climbed out of the tank and followed them warily, hand on his belt and the knife there.

Snarf tried clawing at the wall. "There are seams here. The door might open here if the other side unlocked. Or if we could knock it loose." He picked at the place with his claws. "I think I can just smell the inside of the room. What odd scents…"

"Hello?"

Snarf yelped and fell back. Kit caught him and Kat took his place. He couldn't see through the door slit but he could hear someone breathing. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name's Leo. 'M a cat. What are you?'

"I'm a cat too. So is my sister, and this guy with us. The other one is a Snarf." Kat realized the person sounded about his age. "What's a cat doing in there?"

"Alluro took me from my village. He said he wanted to study me. I've been here for months in a cage. That nice lion and the cool tiger let me out." Kat perked up.

"You've seen Lion-O and Tygra? Where are they now?"

"They went to stop Alluro. He had a pretty lady held captive." Kat bristled and Kit immediately started pulling at the door.

"That big meanie! He's gonna hurt them! How did he capture Cheetara anyway? She's super fast and tough!" Kit declared.

"Alluro controls people. He's probably got them all now since they haven't come back." Leo's voice was somber and Kat felt sick to his stomach. The boy's voice was weak, subdued, and Kat imagined being in a cage and felt sicker. Snarf shivered and stood firm.

"We need to act then. Leo, are there people in there that can help you? Help us? Our other friends are in danger too; if we had a good-sized force we could help everyone. Can you get outside?"

Leo went silent and instead another voice came, much easier to hear. Its tones sent rich, golden light into Kat's fingers and made him feel better, like liquid song. "We might be able to open the door if its lock was weakened. It requires a password, and none of us have any idea of what it might be."

"Can you break it?" Snarf called.

"We can try. If you have any way of applying force to the door, we will do what we can to help you against Alluro's allies."

Kat didn't bother asking who or what was speaking. He just glanced at the gleaming Thundertank, its broad, strong front. "You're gonna want to back away from the door."

* * *

Alluro used a cotton swab to lift Lion-O's lip. "Incredible. Such teeth should indicate you're purely carnivorous, but I've never seen a cat eat raw meat. Perhaps your race is physically less developed than I thought. Or the transition to a civilized diet came more quickly than it was meant to."

Lion-O growled and Alluro finished swabbing. This monologue was positively obnoxious. "I'd like to test this DNA. A lion is fairly rare in these areas." He put the cotton ball in a glass vial and stopped it with a cork. With that the Luna seated himself in a high backed chair with glassy clear armrests. "You're the group that has stood against Mama all this time. Why?"

Tygra hissed. "Because you're evil scum, that's why. And if we're going to talk about science, there are herbivores that have sharp teeth. Hard to break rinds if they feed on fruit without them."

Alluro ignored this. He was looking at Lion-O. "The Fangs of the West, and the Sword of Omens…you were sent on this mission by the king? What did he want you to do? Mend the blade?"

Lion-O watched him without a word. Alluro interlocked his fingers. "To do that, you would have to go into the deepest parts of the planet, down to where it was forged. We know the histories as well as any Thunderan. It was the Luna who first thought of blades strong enough to destroy the Harbinger. Don't you know anything about him?"

"We know he reigns in darkness, and that he's a sworn enemy of the Creator," Cheetara shot, still curled on the floor. Alluro twitched the staff and her forehead connected with the ground, hard.

"Hush. The gents are talking now."

Lion-O snarled, unable to wipe his mouth when spittle started on his teeth. "Who do you think you are?"

"I? I am Alluro, a scientist of renown. I am the most intelligent Luna by far. Even Mama bends her ear to listen when I speak." Alluro stood up, as if anticipating applause. "I am also one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world now, and definitely the most handsome."

"You're a stupid, narcissistic prig," Tygra muttered.

"Quiet in the nutshrub gallery, thank you." Alluro strode about the room. "I am also a collector of the most unique and exotic things in the world. I study them, learn what no one else could dream of. And I am the only expert on the effects Mutation has on the psyche." He ran his index finger along a glass case and the colorful creature inside chittered and ducked away.

"Because you torment those injected and watch them squirm? I could be an expert in that if I didn't have a conscience," Tygra said more loudly.

Rather than silencing him, Alluro pointed at him. "There. That is the issue, isn't it? 'Conscience' or morality by and large cannot be agreed upon. It's a very subjective thing. And it gets in the way of so much!"

"Says you," Cheetara said. Her forehead connected with the ground again and she gasped in pain.

"And it's such a dreadful thing that we can't study in the ways we need…run the experiments we need…because of some convention people all want to assume but can't even agree on!" Alluro shrugged. "I make no claim to morality. I say it has no claim on me, the flighty mistress."

"Cut the philosophical crap," Panthro spat. "You're a scumbag, and as soon as I get free, I'll-"

"If you were to get free you'd kill me. Which would be moral from your side, if not mine. You silly creatures, in the grand scheme of everything, don't you think the ends justify the means? We're trying to save the world from a common enemy! Isn't that moral even by your standards?" Alluro sighed. "I don't know why such backward ideas cling to some races."

"By hurting people and destroying innocent lives? That's how you'd save the world?" Cheetara called.

"What part of 'ends justifying the means' did you not hear?" Alluro paced around her. "Look, I'm trying to be a reasonable host before I kill you. Enlightenment is a great gift. If the creatures of this world are afraid for their lives, but at least they have said lives, isn't that better than us all being pious and dead? Really?"

Cheetara tilted her head, revealing a bruise forming on her brow. "I'd rather be pious. Have you no faith at all?"

"None whatsoever. Only knowledge, my poor, stupid girl. And this is a game of cosmic proportions, one we must win."

Cheetara glared. "If you really think the Harbinger is coming, do you believe that all this madness could really do anything to stop him? An army of mutated creatures can't take down the demon of all demons. Evil can't destroy evil."

"They can weaken him. And their souls can give strength to a great witch such as Mama to contain him. And of course, there's something in the deal about taking down Thundera too once the demon is contained, so." Alluro smiled faintly. "Not that it matters. I'm wasting my time with you."

Lion-O's nostrils flared in hate. Alluro scowled at him. "Oh, make your faces. You're looking at me like I'm what's wrong with the world."

"You are."

Alluro had started examining knives, clear as glass shards, but he stopped. "You know what? I've a better idea. You speak so highly of ideals and morality. It's all rot, and I think you just don't want to face the truth. You're nasty, carnal, hairy little brutes, all of you. Even with your righteous airs."

He lifted the staff in Lion-O's direction. "You. Kill the woman."

* * *

Cheetara wished her elbows could lift up from the mirrored floor; her eyes were red and she couldn't wipe them, hair falling around her face. It tickled unbearably.

"What?" Lion-O's voice was soft.

"You. Kill her. Cut off her head with the Sword of Omens." Alluro's smirk dripped poison and Cheetara's eyes were hot, but she refused to let them stream. "Beasts. All you are is a beast that thinks a little better than the dumb ones, but I'll show you're no different. When a command is given and your natures want to follow it, nothing can stand in the way. This staff touches the darkest, oldest magic and brings out what you really are; animals. That blade is in the hand of an animal and it can cut another animal to pieces. There's power in the Sword of Omens but it has no moral sway. That's where I stand on the matter."

Panthro's neck throbbed and every muscle seemed to swell, and Alluro would have been cracked in two if not for the little staff in his hand. The Luna continued airily, "I need to kill the rest of you soon so I can go lock up the rest of the animals. They'll regret their little prison break. Hurry up."

He swung the staff and Lion-O moved two steps in her direction. Cheetara knew it because of the mirror, and because the air over her felt warmer. If only she could sit up, instead of huddling in a slumped bow. Was a drop of dignity too much to ask? Cheetara swallowed her tears; she wouldn't cry. Even if she was about to die – Lion-O would never forgive himself, how could this happen? – she wouldn't give Alluro the satisfaction.

Poor Lion-O. He'll blame himself. It isn't his fault, it's Alluro's. He's controlling him. And my fault too, for wanting to split up in the first place, and getting caught…it's not fair, what a cheater to use such an awful power.

Lion-O knelt and she felt his hands on her shoulders. They were firm and warm, so unlike the hard, cold mirror under her knees and elbows. "Don't," Tygra rasped. "Alluro, you nonfel iceblood tailsucker, we'll kill you for this-"

"Quick, quick. I'm a busy Luna." Alluro sounded gleeful and Cheetara felt her elbows disconnect from the freezing floor. Lion-O moved her into a sitting position and she just sat, unable to move.

Cheetara had always been modest. She longed for her clothes back and hated that at the end of it all, she couldn't be granted even that. It was a silly thing to want when one was about to die, but it was hard to feel afraid when it was a friend holding her arms. Cheetara would be afraid when…whatever happened, but for this second she was not. She was just humiliated. The strong, swift Cheetara, who had saved their lives and helped each of them, brought low by nothing more than a magic stick. At the end of it, she was as helpless as anyone else. After all they'd done, this was it? This loser was going to kill them, without a fight? They would fail because of the underhanded tactics of a weakling, turned against each other against their wills?

"…No."

Alluro's jaw dropped. Cheetara blinked. The word felt like a bell, ringing in her blood and tremoring. "What did you say?" the Luna demanded.

Lion-O released her shoulders. Her arms felt colder where his fingers left. The Sword of Omens, still in the gauntlet, was glowing white hot and where its heat touched she felt warmer. "I. Said. No." She looked at him in disbelief; there was no way to deny this force, was there? Was the Sword of Omens protecting him? No matter how much they strained, they couldn't win any more than they could drill through a mountain with their claws. It was inexorable, forever, every joint turning as a puppet's.

The sight of his face made her fur prickle. Lion-O's jaw was so tight she could see veins in his temples, traced violet and blue, and he'd bitten his lip and a line of blood was dripping down his chin. It spattered against the floor. "You have no choice!" Alluro snarled, the sound bouncing.

Cheetara suddenly felt a little lighter and could move her arms. Lion-O's eyes were frightening, blue as the heart of a fire. Blood kept falling, teeth so tight she could see his gums turning white around his teeth. Sharp teeth, glistening.

Alluro glanced at his staff uncertainly. Tygra was shaking his head, hard. Panthro's tail was lashing. "No." Lion-O's voice was low, trembling with exertion. He took two steps toward Alluro, steps like stone. The force behind them seemed to rattle Alluro's control more and more; the mirror below Lion-O's feet was cracking. Each step splintered into a thousand fractures.

If pressure could be a song Cheetara would have thought the blade was singing, shuddering in rage. One of the forces had to give, and if Lion-O's eyes were any indicator, cracking the earth would happen before he did.

Alluro hit him with the staff, a movement that might have been funny if he hadn't been so terrified. Lion-O started bleeding from the forehead. "I said to kill her! Kill all of them!"

"NO!" Lion-O roared at last and Cheetara felt the spell shatter like the floor, splintering into millions of silvery pieces. There was only plain stone beneath the reflective ground after all. Alluro fell back, dropping his weapon, and Tygra too shook loose the last of his control to lunge for it. He grabbed it and whirled around, smashing it against the wall.

The orb at the end didn't shatter; it dissipated into snowflakes. When it did Cheetara shot to her feet and dashed for her staff, feeling comfort at its weight. Every muscle ached as if she'd been pulling against a chain that had finally snapped. Panthro blocked the door, as Alluro had gotten to his feet and started for it. For a second his face was uncertain, fearful.

Then Lion-O grabbed him by the throat and punched him so hard Cheetara saw three teeth fly out of his mouth.

Alluro hit the ground. His teeth made ticking noises as they rolled. Lion-O panted fast, mouth open and breath streaming. "You evil…you monster…"

He picked him up by the collar and punched him again. And again. The linen, aristocratic shirt tore and Alluro slumped on the ground.

Lion-O withdrew the Sword of Omens and Cheetara saw it glowing softly, as if it sensed his anger and found it true. But instead of immediately cutting off Alluro's head he stared at the prone Luna. It was a look fit for a judge.

Then he looked at Cheetara. "Did he hurt you?" His voice was still terse, and she remembered that, in spite of her staff, she was standing nearly naked in a room that, only twenty seconds ago, she had thought would be the last thing she ever saw of this world.

She blinked. "N…No. I'm okay. But you're bleeding."

Droplets of fresh, bright red hit the ground, running from his chin. He touched it and gave it a dismissive glance as another stream dripped over his eye like a scar. Tygra kicked Alluro in the side, growling. "If you don't kill him right now I'm doing it."

Panthro crossed his arms. "I want him dead. He should be executed right here, right now. There's only one reason we might keep him alive."

Tygra rounded on him. "What?"

Panthro kept his eye. "This thing will have information. A lot more than the average mook we've run into. And if we send him to the Imperial City with Lynx-O, I guarantee you they'll wring every last bit out of him." Tygra seemed to weigh this, eyes hard as jewels.

Cheetara didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think about torture, or how helpless she'd felt, or how useless she'd been. She folded her arms across her front and – oh, she tried not to – sniffed.

The spell of hate diffused. Tygra looked up at her and blinked. "Aw heck…Cheetara, are you-?"

"Fine. I'm fine. I don't…it's okay." What she wouldn't have given for her clothes. Alluro had torn them completely, and the fact that her mother had painstakingly sewn them for her by hand made her throat hot. Daddy would have gone ballistic and wrapped her up in a soft blanket. And though she had traveled with these men, slept around the same camp, and trusted them with her life, she just wanted them all to turn around and not look at her and her not-pretty underwear. She was exposed, a bug whose exoskeleton had been picked off.

Panthro had never looked so soft. He had moved from diamond to granite – still in the stone family – but it was a shock. His jaw shifted when she crossed her arms tighter. "Hang on girl, we'll find you something."

"I'm fine. It doesn't matter, I'm just cold." The lie didn't help, and Cheetara reddened as Tygra started looking around like a little boy trying to find something to placate a baby. Like the time he'd broken her favorite cup and tried to fix it with glue and ended up with his thumb stuck to the cup and they had to peel the fur off.

He made it worse, made her think more of home.

Something soft and dark went over her head, surprising her. "Here, hang on a sec." Cheetara wriggled and found herself swimming in a man's shirt.

How Lion-O had pulled off his torso armor and then his shirt so quickly she never did figure out. When her head poked from the neck he helped fish her arms through the sleeves and tugged the hem down as if he were outfitting a doll. It didn't stretch long enough to cover her thighs and Cheetara blinked as he took his cloak – it had suffered a lot over their venture, torn at the edges and burnt in several places – and pulled out the last few stitches that kept it together. He took the swatch and tied it around her waist like a skirt, and looked at her. "It'll have to do until we get back to the tank."

She stared at him. He stared back and then Lion-O's cheeks slowly darkened, pink to red, but he said nothing. He just pulled his armor back on over his fur – starkly pale on his neck and chest and stomach – and gave Alluro a look of condescension. "Fine. We'll send him with the group. He'll be judged at a later time."

Panthro found something to serve as a rope – some sort of decorative cord woven from silk threads – and picked up the Luna as if he were a sack of dung after binding his wrists and ankles. "We need to get back to the others."

Cheetara noticed Tygra watching her oddly, and she noticed that he glanced at Lion-O with a strange expression. "If we can get some of the villagers down south to come up with a supply of antimutagen, it shouldn't be too hard to give it to the mutated-"

The room shook and each of them fell, Panthro nearly shattering one of many mirrors on the walls. The jars and glass rattled as they fell to the ground and Cheetara pushed herself up first. Several creatures chittered and screeched, fleeing the room through doors or small windows. "What in the world?"

"The battalion! They're attacking Lynx-O and the others!" Tygra got up, only to fall over again as the tremor struck again. "And…the fortress?"

Panthro's neck throbbed. "Oh no. That's no bomb. That sound comes from my baby being used as a battering ram. I've only heard it once, but you don't forget it."

Cheetara blinked at Lion-O. She'd been sprawled across his lap by the impact. "So, who would be using it to break into the fortress?"

He helped her up, holding her hand to help balance. "Oh dear."

* * *

"One more time, Leop! The door's almost open!" Kat and Kit held tight to Snarf, buckled in and safe under the metal canopy. Leop was sweating, lips pursed as he backed up one more time.

"Are you certain the g – I mean, Panthro, won't mind using his Thundertank this way?"

The kittens gave each other an uneasy look. "Uh, yeah. Sure. If it's to help people."

Snarf covered his eyes with his paws, huddled in their arms. "Tell me if we live this time."

The tank rocketed forward and Kit marveled at how little the impact jostled them as the doors went flying open, hinges busting down. Terrain tamer indeed. The heavy doors made an incredible noise as they finally landed, and Leop let out a breath as the kittens flipped the switch to push the canopy back.

The strip of light from the canyon fell over many strange and silent things. Kit looked up to see what had to be the Arietta bird, so beautiful and bright it made her eyes water. Near it was a great spider, with the upper body of a cat protruding from it. She would have been alarmed if not for the peace of the bird, and the other strange, misshapen, curious beasts around them. Insects with far too many legs and plants that seemed to walk, a little albino boy cat and a four-legged creature that had shiny, reflective fur. She had to rub her eyes to stop them from crossing.

"What are those explosions out there?" The spider woman covered her many eyes. "Ugh, so bright."

"A monkian battalion is attacking our friends! They need help!" Kat looked at the great bird. "Can you do something?"

"Most certainly." The Arietta bird looked to the spider. "Spydera, I will call the clouds to darken the sky. And you…"

The mandibles parted in a fierce grin. "Will deal with these beasts for the last time. I like the sound of that."

The bird tucked her head close to the kittens. "Leo, go with these children, along with all the other beings. I dare not let anyone but Spydera attack. The beasts are ruthless, and Spydera has a particular talent for dealing with them."

"Oh, indeed." Spydera shifted her legs in anticipation. "Indeed I do."

* * *

Pongo could nearly reach the blind lynx's ankle. His ears were numb and ringing from the explosives, and his fingers were raw from climbing up the face of a cliff, but he bared his teeth and shrieked an angry call when the cat – hearing him with those long, tufted ears – whirled and jabbed his hands with the butt of a club. It had been one of his men's weapons.

He slid a few feet down and began to ascend again, powerful hands finding minuscule holds in the rock. Cats were spry and sly, but apes were strong and climbed better than any of them. In only a moment his men would overtake the cats, and they would shed blood.

Cold wind rolled over them and a new sound entered his ears, in spite of the ringing. It was low, wavering, thick as silt. Pongo hesitated and looked around for the source of the noise, scanning the stone and slopes of the canyon, and the ice beyond the fortress. Then he looked up and his hold loosened.

The Arietta bird was loose and flying free, and beneath its greatest set of wings ran a line of wings on each side. They decreased in size as they progressed toward the tail, and each one moved at a different moment, stirring the air around the bird as its tail flicked and flashed. Its eyes were on them, cold and bright, and a new note filled the air.

The atmosphere changed, pressure becoming stifling like a thunderstorm. The sun's light was going; clouds hurried to block it and coated the canyons in dark. Pongo had to squint to see his men.

"We've been fooled by powers and false gods enough for one mission. Let Alluro come and claim the bird again; our job is clear!" His words rallied them and he grinned. Let the bird make its lights and have a last hurrah. What could it do to them without coming close enough to slay?

Another noise came, and this one was far worse. It was a loud…skittering? Like the pitter of hard feet, perhaps a crab's. He knew what they sounded like from living near the sea and listening to them scramble across the rocks. It was faint but getting louder.

"The witch! The spider witch! Spydera!" One of his men fell from the cliff in a dead faint and his blood went cold.

Cats could fake spirits and prides and gods. They could put on fine charades. But the beast approaching was real, hairy legs a blur as she stormed toward their cliff. Pongo looked at the men brave enough to stay, too uncertain to abandon the cliff after fleeing so recently. These were his finest.

"Run! Retreat! She'll eat us alive!"

Spydera sprinted across the canyon floor, punting stray monkians aside as they fled. Most hit the walls and rolled to the ground unconscious. Her sick, strange torso and spidery mouth were a nightmare, teeth flashing as she grinned down at them. Some tried to fight with knives, and she drew thread from her back and cast it down at them. The sticky ropes engulfed them and they fell under the weight. Some she pierced through the arms with her clawed, barbed legs. One of them was unlucky enough to come close to her torso and was bitten with the sharp snap of her teeth. He went limp and hit the ground.

Two mad souls jumped on her back, spearing at her hairy hide. She tucked her legs in and rolled sideways, crushing them against the ground and swept back to her feet again, snickering. No, not snickering; her mandibles were clicking with excitement, striking each remaining soldier with gusto.

Pongo knew his battalion was done when he was the last that had not been attacked or trapped. It would not be said that he had no courage left, as he knelt and looked at her. "If you have taken all my honor, then take my life. It belongs to you."

Fine words, if he hadn't been shaking. He wouldn't have been able to run anyway. Spydera cocked her grotesque head. "Stupid creature. It's no fun if I can't even chase you."

Pongo shut his eyes. If he was to feed a monster, he would not beg. Even though he had just urinated on the ground. She rolled her eyes, all eight.

With the side of a hard, bony leg she rapped him on the head and he collapsed.

* * *

"I can't believe she didn't kill even one."

Snarf sat atop Kat's head, watching Spydera wind sticky thread around each monkian's arms and legs before setting them together. Each one's bonds stuck to the thread of the one next to him, and the conscious ones were shivering and quiet. The bleeding had stopped, wounds wrapped in tight, gauzy thread.

"Are you disappointed?" she asked wryly. Snarf shook his head.

"Just a remarkable show of self-restraint."

Lynx-O's men looked spirited, seeing their enemies dealt with. The captors were now the captives. Snarf was astonished to see the men offering the monkians water. Panthro had been right; these were good men, honorable and true. Lynx-O sat down beside him, cocking one ear.

"Panthro and the others are back." He seemed relieved, and Snarf hopped down from Kat's shoulders to meet the four.

Panthro had a Luna slumped over his shoulder, whom he dropped unceremoniously on the ground. He scanned the soldiers and kittens, as if to check for everyone. Seeing nothing amiss he glared at Snarf. "Where's my tank?"

Snarf swallowed hard. Kit pranced up to Panthro's side. "It helped us save Lynx-O and everybody! We broke down the big doors."

Panthro hurried to go check on it and Kit looked with a shrug to Tygra, Lion-O, and Cheetara. "We were worried guys! Leo said you were probably captured…"

She frowned. "Cheetara, where are your clothes? Is that Lion-O's shirt?" Snarf noted her wardrobe and felt his light heart grow serious. But the cheetah simply brought both kittens in for tight hugs, and he jumped up to her shoulder as she let go.

"I'm fine. Just a little accident. Lion-O let me borrow some of his clothes." Tygra had venom in his eyes, and Snarf glanced at the Luna with a sick feeling. "Really, I'm all right," she added, stroking Snarf's ears. "Tell you later," she added in a whisper.

Spydera had finished binding the monkians and she approached with surprising grace. "Alluro. He's alive."

"He's just barely worth more to us alive right now." Tygra kicked him in the stomach and the Luna coughed.

Spydera bent her legs so she could examine the unconscious foe. "I would have preferred to end him myself, but I suppose if you have use for him you can keep him. Luna blood is repulsive." She straightened and Snarf tilted his head. Noticing this, she continued, "I do not eat sentient beings…unless they warrant killing. I won't waste a meal if it is available."

The monkians shuddered. She spat at them. "I've more honor than you, so stop acting like whelps." With a foreleg she nudged Cheetara. "You, girl. You've spoken to my daughter Araknay."

Cheetara looked up at her, surprised. She didn't seem alarmed by the creature. "I have. How did you know?"

"Araknay was always gifted with visions, even before the demons. She could have been a powerful force of good. It is my fault the gift was tainted. But I sense some of her on you…the old power. You have no small gift yourself." She lowered her hairy, strange head. "What have you seen? Alluro spoke of the Harbinger…do you know if he was telling the truth?"

Lynx-O suddenly clapped. "We must leave this place. We've been here too long, and if what Panthro has told me is true, Alluro will have invaluable information for Thundera." Panthro nodded, crossing his arms. "I could not ask for braver lads. Your courage and strength have brought us through a dark night." The men saluted and murmured.

Panthro tucked one great arm around Lynx-O's shoulders. "What the old man is trying to say is take Alluro and deposit him in the Imperial City. Then make your way to your homes. You've earned it."

The men's expressions grew blissful. "I'll see my sweet daughter again," said one.

"My wife was due to have a litter! Creator, I want to see those little faces."

"Brother, I'm coming home. Drinks are on you after all!"

The excited chatter died down as Lion-O added, "On behalf of Thundera, I thank you all for your service. We won't squander the help you've given us."

Lynx-O blinked. "We know you won't. You've already wrought havoc on their trade. I have no doubt that Panthro would not travel with those who couldn't see a mission through."

Snarf listened with interest as the cats gleaned supplies from what remained from the monkian force. There was a little food now but this was given to Lynx-O's men; they would need it more. Panthro in particular hugged Lynx-O with that terrific strength, and Snarf had to wonder how they knew each other. He clearly respected him.

Alluro woke up before Lynx-O and his men left. He gave the cats a dirty look but said nothing. Lion-O paused long enough to meet the Luna's eyes. "We'll see each other again, Alluro," he said softly.

Then the cats took their hostage and made their way out of the canyon. Leo, the albino kitten, went with them, as they would pass by his village on their way to the Imperial City. He gave Kit a shy look before going, though she didn't seem to notice, waving goodbye cheerfully.

Snarf watched them go and turned to the Arietta bird. She was examining the sky. Spydera still rested beside Cheetara, as they'd been talking while the boys and kittens helped with the supplies.

Spydera grunted. "It is as I feared then." The bird nodded. "Foolish of you."

Cheetara's cheeks reddened. "I know. I panicked."

"What is it?" Lion-O asked. He had a set of Cheetara's clothes in his arms, fetching them for her. She took them and Spydera – giving him an odd, amused smile – moved to allow the Arietta bird to drape two wings around Cheetara so she could change with impunity.

"I owe you guys an apology," Cheetara said from beyond the feathers. "I kept wanting to deal with stuff on my own because…I had a vision that scared me. When I was sick." She stepped out and Snarf instantly felt better to see her in her brown breeches and orange shirt. She shyly returned Lion-O's shirt and cloak to him. Snarf wasn't sure but he thought that when the lion stripped off his armor to redress her eyes lingered on him, following the taut, muscular lines of his torso. Perhaps it was the light. "I saw the Harbinger. And…we were all going to face him."

Snarf sat down, rump a little numb. "What?" Tygra asked.

"Well, I didn't see the kittens or Snarf, but…they were with us. Not physically, but I felt them there. In the vision I mean. We were in a dark place, where the only light came from some big, rock…crystal thing." Cheetara's fingers were trembling. "I didn't recognize the place. It was such a bright light. And the Harbinger was so awful and evil…he was drowning us in the dark, and drowning the light. We were going down, into his darkness."

Snarf's spine prickled. "And then?"

"I woke up. The vision hadn't been back since." Cheetara's cheeks were flaming red. "I thought it was a warning, so I guess…I thought…"

Tygra put his hands on his hips, tail twitching like mad. "You thought you'd run around on your own in case a cosmic baddie showed up? On the off chance that it did, what would you have done?"

"I don't know! I wasn't thinking straight." Spydera, strangely, put a comforting arm across her back.

"There is little worse than seeing those we love in a demon's thrall," she said quietly. "Logic has no place in fear…or friendship." Tygra's arms lowered and Snarf climbed into Cheetara's lap. "I was more interested in the subject matter of the Harbinger myself."

"He's supposedly at the heart of the world, and he eats those. So that's a problem. We knew that already, thanks to Red-Eye." Panthro's tone was flat.

The Arietta bird rifled her feathers, settling her wings back against her sides. "The Harbinger is an ancient enemy of life. Where it exists, he seeks to snuff it out. He has gained power through the millennia by devouring the hearts of worlds."

"Which is…?" Tygra asked, looking irritated. Snarf knew he was a bit of a skeptic, but he was wondering the same thing himself. "We've heard about him eating this heart, but no one actually seems ready to explain what it is."

"It is what makes a world hospitable for life. It lets life thrive. Flourish." The Arietta bird shook her head. "It is so hard to explain to young ones. The stronger the heart is, the lusher and stronger a world is. It's like…a spirit, but it lives in the core of the planet."

"So the planet is a person?" Lion-O asked, bewildered.

"No." The bird seemed frustrated. "The heart is a connector, a wellspring of life, yet it does not live itself. Where it fails there is strife, disease, terror, and death. Without one a planet will eventually die, or worse, simply fade. Every soul touches it, connected by a thread. In this way, our lives are intertwined. If we were not here and connected to it though, a heart will die. One cannot survive without the other."

Tygra slowly shook his head. "I'm not getting this."

Kit blinked. "I do. It's like a real heart." Everyone looked at her and she put a hand on her chest. "It's like, the heart working means you're alive. But if it stops, you're dead. To keep it working there are organs and blood and stuff Tygra was teaching me and Kat about. They can't work without it moving them all, and it can't work without them giving it energy. We're the blood and stuff. Right?"

Spydera laughed, a frightening sound. It sounded like a rattle. "Very good little girl. It is closer than any adult will ever get to explaining it."

Kat scratched his head, sitting on the ground. "Okay, so this heart thing is real important. And the Harbinger likes to eat them when he finds them? Why?"

"Because he craves life, and hates it for being the one thing he cannot have. He devours it, conquers it, rends it apart. It is his delight to cause pain where there would be goodness." The Arietta bird closed her eyes. "I cannot pretend to know his exact desires, but he relishes the dark. He lives in the dark. He brings it to all worlds. And he is trying to bring it here…and I don't think this is the first time he has tried."

"Wait, you don't know?" Cheetara asked. She stood up, still holding Lion-O's shirt and cloak. "You're in the scriptures. Aren't you immortal?"

"Hardly. An Arietta bird is born every thousand years, upon the heels of the death of its predecessor. I suppose to short-lived beings that would seem immortal." The Arietta bird sighed, and Snarf was reminded of a windy day in the forest over the reeds. "The Harbinger is an ancient demon, an enemy of the Creator. He is far older than I. And far stronger."

Spydera clicked her mandibles. "Haven't you heard the stories from long ago? The Harbinger did try to devour your world."

"Well, we assumed he failed," Lion-O said. "Those of us that actually believe the stories anyway."

Spydera shifted her legs in a nervous clatter. "Perhaps not. But you go to the heart of the world to mend the Sword of Omens, yes? If its power is waning, could it be because its power source is failing?"

Snarf's fur stood on end as Lion-O looked at the blade. "That would make sense," Snarf said. "My people have sensed something wrong in the world."

But Lion-O gave Spydera a weird look. "I know the Sword of Omens derives its power from the core…and that it was made from materials deep in the planet. But are you saying…?"

"It was made from the heart of the world. That is why it has the power it does." Spydera did not dare to touch it, silent though it was. "The stone in particular was carved from the heart. So the old spirits said, when I was in their thrall."

Lion-O rubbed his thumb over the perfect crystal. "So that's why it's losing its power. We knew something was wrong, and that the Harbinger…wow. This is worse than I thought."

Panthro's tail whisked. "If it's a critter eating something important, we kill it. That should fix things."

The Arietta bird and Spydera exchanged glances. "The tales say…the Harbinger dwells neither among the living nor the dead. I don't know if killing him is possible. The ancestors of your empire sought to imprison him." The bird opened a few wings uneasily.

Spydera shrugged. "You're being led to the heart. After all that's happened, you must realize that. By whom or what, I can't say. If you can't kill the Harbinger, perhaps you can weaken him."

Lion-O looked at the cats and Snarf recognized that look. It was the look the Snarf chief had often given his people when hard times were upon them. When he feared for them. "Isn't there someone who could tell us something about the Harbinger?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Perhaps if you were in the Imperial City you could ask the cat Jaga. He is a prophet in the old sense, and he serves the king. I daresay if anyone knew, or had access to the writings that could tell you, it would be he." Spydera turned toward the base. "As a favor to you for freeing me, I will watch over and feed the mutated trapped in the cells until you can find a way to mend them. Oh, and I'll take these brutes somewhere a village will find and arrest them," she added, pointing with a leg to the monkians. "Perhaps this Mama will know more about the Harbinger."

The Arietta bird inclined her head to the cats. "I can do little when my place is so near to destruction; I have to tend to it. But if you seek to go to the north, I can bear you as far as the edge of the mountain range. It will save you a great deal of time, and I will be able to remove the ice on the way back."

Kat perked up. "You'll fly us up there? That's so cool!"

Panthro said nothing but Lion-O – seeing his expression – asked, "What about the Thundertank? We won't make it far in snow without it."

"Oh yes, I can carry that too." The bird nudged it with a talon. "I must tend to the air for the night, but in the morning we can go. That is, if you're set on continuing on this venture?"

Lion-O looked at the others and Snarf climbed to his shoulder supportively. "What choice do we have? On the off chance this Mama will be able to control the Harbinger…we can't let her work continue. And we have to get to the King's Door."

Spydera cocked her head at his determination. "Brave words." He gave her a look when she squinted. "You know, from this angle, you look like you have a rabbit's nose. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

* * *

Lion-O's appetite was shot that night, so the kittens got two dumplings apiece instead of one from his bowl.

Spydera, at some late hour, had left without a word. He assumed she would live in the base until the mutated were cared for, but it was hard to tell with the caves littering the canyon. He used the messenger to send a request for help from the southern village. They had replied with gusto; it had only been a week but their people were recovering at an incredible rate. And a healthy, clean rain had finally fallen, enriching the land.

The Arietta bird returned and winked at them. "A little gift for them. Their crops should bloom very soon."

She was a sight as she flew over the canyon, song blazing and wings curling like a sculptor's hands. Clouds followed her in a spiral and the air changed. Lion-O breathed deeply and realized that the ice seemed lesser than it had been. Perhaps she was melting it and siphoning water into the clouds to take rain to the villages? The bird's curling flight reminded him of ringlet of hair, shining like the sun, and it made him glad to see it.

Cheetara sat next to him. "Beautiful isn't she?"

"Definitely." His lip was sore and tasted like salt, the wound freshly closed. Cheetara looked at it with gentle eyes. "What?"

"Just thinking about what happened. I mean, you threw off Alluro's control. I just wish I knew how."

He watched the bird for another minute. "I think it was the Sword of Omens."

"Still." The air was cool and she folded her arms across her knees. Lion-O offered her one of the blankets from their supplies and she took it. The campfire's smoke was making him sleepy.

"I guess he just told me to do something I couldn't do." He cleared his throat. "I mean, we're friends. All of us are. I couldn't…I won't let anything happen to you guys. I won't. And the Sword of Omens wouldn't hurt people trying to do what's right. So…"

She gave him a curious look. Lion-O suddenly wished he wasn't as warm. "I guess it came down to fight him or do the worst thing I could imagine. To do that to you, to any of you…it would have been worse than dying." His tail curled in embarrassment. "And yeah, the uh, the Sword of Omens. And everything. Um…I hope you get what I'm saying."

"I think so." Cheetara pulled her hair over her shoulder, braiding the end to keep it neat. "I just wanted to say thank you. This isn't the first time you've put me – well, all of us – before yourself. And…the thing with your clothes…"

Lion-O rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like all his blood had rushed straight to his face. "I was just trying to help, I know it was probably weird-"

"Actually, it was really sweet. I just wanted to let you know that." She tied off her hair. "You're a good leader. I'm glad we came with you."

Lion-O blinked. For once he could think of nothing to say. Cheetara smiled faintly at him and – very quickly, very chastely – pecked him on the cheek before getting up and crossing the camp to set up for bed, and to tuck the kittens in.

He touched the place her lips had been and felt as if he'd eaten one too many sugar fritters when they were piping hot. It was strangely good and a little bit weird in the pit of his stomach. Tygra – who had been helping Panthro ready the Thundertank for air travel – approached and he quickly lowered his hand.

For a long time neither of them said anything, watching the kittens drift off and then Cheetara. Panthro continued working even when the Arietta bird descended to rest for the night, tucking her head under several wings. The stars came out and the canyon cooled with night instead of frost, the cliffs looking like icicles under the half-moon.

"Hey." Tygra wasn't looking at him. "Thanks for what you did. For Cheetara. I just…I couldn't even think. She was upset, and she doesn't cry, so when she was…my brain turned off. And you were there. That meant a lot."

Lion-O looked down. He felt foolish and happy and embarrassed, and didn't know what to say.

Tygra tapped one foot. Lion-O waited, wondering what he actually wanted to say. "…I don't have a problem with it."

"With what?"

"You liking her."

Lion-O's heart jumped. "What?"

Tygra glanced over his shoulder at him, eyebrow raised. "Lynx-O's the blind guy. My eyes work fine." Lion-O shut his mouth, not bothering to blush at this point.

The tiger leaned back, weight resting on his arms. Lion-O met his eye. "I do like Cheetara. A lot. But it would be very unfair for me try to court her or…ask her out…on a mission as dangerous and important as this. Especially considering there are still things you all don't know."

Lion-O couldn't read Tygra's expression. He'd lowered his voice, listening to the others breathe deep in slumber. "If you'd keep this between us, I'd appreciate it. Maybe someday if things work out…if this mission ends well, I could tell her. But the last thing we'd need is a distraction." Tygra turned his head to narrow his eyes suspiciously. Lion-O squared his shoulders. "I'm serious. I just-I don't want to hurt her. Or anyone else. And I definitely don't want to increase the chances of anyone getting hurt either. She's my friend and things are going to stay that way. The group's safety is my priority."

Cheetara had likely meant the gesture as a sign of thanks. After what had happened, it certainly didn't seem inappropriate to thank a friend for helping. Even if she hadn't meant it that way, and she might have just a smidge of liking for him, this wasn't the time to go searching out a relationship. Not now.

Tygra uncrossed his arms. "It makes me feel better to hear that you don't want to take this anywhere right now. But I will tell you that you actually seem like…an okay guy. Probably not good enough for the little brat, but hey, there's no such thing." Lion-O almost smiled. Tygra pointed one finger at him. "Seriously though, if you hurt that girl, I'll beat you bluer than any Luna. And that's a promise."

Lion-O nodded.

Tygra seemed pleased by this. Lion-O cleared his throat. "So, you and she really do care?"

"Oh duh. I never had any siblings so she filled in. Bossy girl will mother anyone. Someone has to watch out for her." Tygra shrugged. "To be fair she's never dated much, so it was never an issue. Her standards are super high, fair warning."

He started back toward the camp and Lion-O walked with him. "Are you sure it's not…I mean, if it were something else I wouldn't want to get in the way," Lion-O began.

Tygra gave him a flat look. "Sis. Ter. End of story. I know it sounds weird since we didn't grow up in the same house, but I could never see her as anything other than family."

"I'm just making sure." Lion-O couldn't help but feel lighter as he rolled over. Cheetara was asleep by the fire, a kitten bundled on either side. Snarf was flopped over Kit's shoulders, tail twitching. "First watch, you or me?"

"I won't be able to sleep for a while. Get some rest; that crazy bird is leaving tomorrow." Tygra sat down, cross-legged. "Do you really think we're finally going to get a break and get somewhere on schedule?"

"I don't know. After what we found out, I'm not really sure we should even be going." Lion-O paused. "But…you won't be there, will you?"

"Huh?"

"You just came along to get to Icla, remember? To check on your mother." He tugged the ragged remainder of his cloak over his shoulders. He smelled cheetah fur on it. "Not that I blame you. This is so much more than I thought it would be."

Tygra didn't speak for a second. When he did, he sounded gruff. As if he was trying to be ambivalent like Panthro. "Well…I may as well tag along until the end. After all, where would you guys be without me? Someone has to bring some style to this crazy journey. And sanity."

Lion-O looked at him for a minute, staring. Then he smiled. "We would've been lost without you. And Cheetara. And Snarf and the kittens too." He laid down, curling up a bit. "I'm glad you guys came too."

Tygra didn't answer but Lion-O – in spite of the darkness – did not feel half so worried as he had fifteen minutes ago.

* * *

Glory.

That was the word for it. Kat held tight to the feathers before him and pitched his head, letting out a loud cry of, "Cooool!"

The Arietta bird shifted beneath him and made an amused noise. "You've seen nothing yet."

If anyone had ever told him that he would ride a legendary creature across the sky, through clouds and overseeing the world like a great painting beneath him, Kat would have said they drank too much iceshine and fruity punch. But he gripped the feather shafts as the bird dipped, cutting through thick clouds and shredding them into wisps, wings whirling in patterns behind them.

Snarf was settled in a tight ball in front of Kat, each foot clutching a different feather. His teeth were chattering. "It's fun, Snarf! Don't be scared!" Kit called from behind her brother. The furry creature shook his head, eyes squeezed shut.

Cheetara was right behind them, hands firm on Kat's shoulders and elbows nudging against Kit's arms. She wasn't as nervous as Snarf, but she seemed to feel better having a protective hold on them. Right behind her, Lion-O had his arms around her waist, ponytail whipping wildly. Tygra held to the feathers, and Panthro seemed too busy watching his tank in the Arietta bird's talons to pay any attention to being nervous.

Somehow the bird kept the wind from tearing them off. Her wings rolled and curled, wisps of wind tickling their faces but never blowing fiercely. As she flew over the canyon she let out a melody that made Kat think of stories and adventures, like the one they were on now. Big quests, huge monsters, and grand destinies danced in the wind with them. Like the cool parts, not like walking up mountains for days. The ice of the canyon looked different, less impenetrable, and clouds formed behind them thickly. "What is she doing?" Kat called.

"Looks like she's making the water evaporate! Turning it to clouds for rain!" Tygra replied. "That way she can take it somewhere else where it won't flood."

"Awesome!" Kat bounced in place. "Just awesome!"

The hours ticked by until the canyon started to narrow, mile by mile, into a thin crevice beneath them. When it was no more than a few feet wide Kat looked over the horizon – he'd been dozing, watching the crack shrink – and had to shield his eyes. The whiteness of it was blinding, pure snow as far as he could see. A few mountains rose in the distance, and he thought he saw the glitter of a city, but snowy wastes lay between them and the distant lights.

The bird landed gently, rocking them with the impact. As soon as her wings folded, freezing air swallowed them, and Kat began to shiver. Everyone climbed off and the bird tucked her larger wings around them as they hastily pulled on thicker cloaks and blankets. "I can take you no farther. My reach ends here; Lune and her powers are against me, and they would slay me if I approached." She surveyed the land uneasily. "Cicle is the nearest city, but it is still a trek. It may take you a week. It is very near Icla."

Lion-O bowed to her. "You've helped us immeasurably. Thank you, Arietta bird."

She sighed. "You must head straight north. Before I go, I will gather whatever blizzard that may be coming and bear it elsewhere. A few days of good weather are the last gift I can give you." She lowered her head to the kittens, affectionately humming and making the air feel warm. "If you succeed in your mission, signal me. I will gladly bear you south, even to the Imperial City, if this 'Mama's' hold is broken over the north. The Luna may prove less hostile if she can be ousted."

"That would be a great help," Lion-O said. "But how would we signal you from so far away?"

She gave him an amused glanced from the corner of one great eye. "If the Sword of Omens returns to its power, I assure you, I'll see a signal. Travel safely."

She left in a flurry of snow and Kat realized he couldn't see his feet in the drift. Panthro patted his tank. "Gimme snow any day."

* * *

"Still prefer the snow Panthro?" Tygra shouted. The wind wasn't bad, but the crunch of the snow under their feet was loud enough that he had to scream to be heard.

Setting up camp was more of a matter of taking dried rations, scarfing them down, taking a quick bathroom break – whizzing in the snow was always an experience – and piling back into the Thundertank. Night had brought a black cold, and Tygra remembered vividly why he didn't often visit. The cold seemed alive in the north; it sought out warmth to destroy, it burned all the tender places. Not one inch of a cat was safe with these invasive, clever gusts of ice.

Panthro didn't reply, putting their supplies back in the tank's storage. The kittens were already in the back seat, huddled with Snarf. After climbing in, Tygra shut the door, sighing in the stillness. "So. How is everyone? Toes, noses?"

"My cheeks are burning," Kit complained. Panthro had moved the seats, swiveling the front two around so they faced the back, and the snug quarters were welcome enough. "Are we gonna freeze?"

"No, we'll be fine. The Thundertank is warming up now, and I've got it set to stay habitable for the night. Just bundle up with a partner and you'll be fine." Panthro settled in under a blanket, seeming unbothered. "One day down."

The city of Icla took a while to reach, Tygra knew. The first day was the most brutal because the body had to adjust to the frigid temperatures, but it got easier. Their winter fur would start growing in response soon enough. Cheetara cuddled in between him and Lion-O and he knocked her gently on the forehead. "Now you know why I didn't live with Mom."

"Why does she live here? This place is awful, and we're not even to the pole yet." Tygra shrugged and Panthro grunted as if in agreement. Cheetara had never experienced such a climate and she moodily took her hair and wound it around her neck like a muffler. She'd done her best to stitch up Lion-O's cloak, and he'd taken it off to give to the kittens. The rest of them made do with their awkward bedrolls in the cramped space.

It was a chore to set up watch when the inside of the Thundertank grew warm and comfortable, but security was a very real concern out here; Tygra had seen Luna in such temperatures, and they didn't mind it at all. Something in their blood made it impossible to freeze, and if "Mama" wanted to send her agents to attack, this would be the place.

Panthro used the windshield to keep watch, along with his impeccable instincts. After two hours of dozing, Tygra stirred. "What'd you say?"

"I said I thought I saw something. Gone now, but still. There are predators out here." Panthro nudged either kitten off his lap – they had claimed his knees as their seats and his shoulders as their pillows – and into the passenger seat. They curled up and slept on. "I'm gonna drive a bit. Might as well."

Tygra yawned. "I know some foxes live up here. Probably a hunting group trying to get home-"

The tank rocked, rattling each of them and making Tygra's side connect with the door. "What in the world?" Snarf screeched.

Lion-O's eyes were a wide, as if he had been dumped in icy water. A little too wide to be fully awake. "Panthro, what's-?"

The tank shook again, and this time Panthro shot for the hatch, pushing it open with a jerk. Tygra followed him into the wind, snow instantly crusting against his side. The thick glitter on the ground was blown up and around, almost as bad as if there were a blizzard raging.

A roar broke through the snow, and Tygra held a hand to his eyes to block the flecks of ice.

The beast was massive, taller than Panthro on its four legs. Its eyes were blue as petrified ice in the sea, and the long fangs flashed as it let loose another roar, enraged by the Thundertank's impenetrable hull.

And that was when Panthro pushed free of the Thundertank and descended on it, aiming to break its neck.

* * *

 **End of Episode 15**


	16. Chapter 16

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 16**

 **Home Beloved**

* * *

There was something satisfying in trying to kill a beast with one's bare hands. The heat and smell of blood and hair woke something primal in a fighter, and a high came after the foe lay dead on the ground, neck broken. Panthro knew the ways of a common beast, and how to fight one.

This was not a common beast.

It was a cat, and Panthro watched it pace once he'd hurled it back and it caught itself. The legs were husky and thick and the fur fringed with snow made it nearly impossible to see. The dark eyes followed him as the lips peeled back to show black gums. "Lion-O, I think it's been injected."

Lion-O's ponytail was atrocious and he rubbed his eyes as he poked his head out of the hatch, Tygra ducking back down to tell the kittens to stay inside. The beast was prowling around doubtfully now, seeing two potential foes emerge. Its mass was nearly half the size of the tank, dense. "A feline…yeah, I agree. So close to Lune it makes sense."

Panthro shoved Lion-O back down into the hatch as the beast pounced, and again took it by the throat and hurled it over his head using its momentum. The animal roared and Panthro bared his teeth, cold bracing. "Hungry, huh? Not much prey in the storm."

The creature snarled and warily stalked around him. Panthro was not the kind to go down easily, and it seemed to be weighing its options against such a foe. It pleased him that it seemed nervous.

A loud snarling began, and Panthro turned his head a fraction of an inch. It was coming closer, and the beast hissed and turned tail. The noise was repetitive, warning. "Hey, wait!" The great cat had started running, and – foolishly, perhaps – he started after it.

Something struck him in the back. It was hard and heavy and Panthro fell, breath knocked loose. "Panthro!" Lion-O had climbed out, antimutagen ready.

A great mass of hair stood before Panthro, two-legged, and he realized this was his assailant. He growled, moving to his knees in the thick snow. The cloth draped before him was a great cloak, pale tan fur, and the person within it wore a hide balaclava over his face. The eyes were stony, nearly white. "Did you harm her?"

Panthro would have started a brawl if the man hadn't spoken. He coughed – he hadn't been hit that hard in eight years – and said, "What?"

"Snowmeow. The creature that attacked you. Did you hurt her?" The man's gloved hands formed fists and Panthro noticed he was as tall as himself. Pieces of polished bone were on the knuckles of his leathery gloves.

"…Nah. Just knocked it back a little. Why? You know her before she got turned into that?" Panthro stood up, brushing snow off his legs. "We can help, if you-"

"Stay away from her. I have killed eighteen bounty hunters, and I will not hesitate to kill you." The man turned away and began running in the direction the creature had gone. Panthro stared after him and Lion-O looked upset.

"Wait! We can help! We have…medicine…"

The man was gone and the wind howled after him. Cheetara and Tygra were both on the tank, as if they'd been about to spring, but now they just looked frosted and shivery. "Charming folks, northerners," Tygra remarked. Cheetara's long hair whipped mercilessly around her.

"That was so strange," Lion-O said. Panthro grunted and indicated for him to get back in the hatch, giving him a leg up before climbing up himself. "He was protecting her…do you think he knew her well?"

"Probably. Considering Lune is a hive of deceit, he probably knew better than to look for help from its government. He might also be a nomad, or a shepherd. That was sheegoat skin he was wearing." Panthro closed the hatch and the wind died to a murmur. "She wasn't a Mutant, otherwise she would have talked. He'll probably end up killing her."

Cheetara held the kittens close. Their eyes were wide after hearing the battle and being stuck in the tank. "That's awful. Can we go after them?"

Tygra rubbed the back of his neck, looking for ice. "People in the north outside the cities are kind of solitary. He didn't trust us, and I don't know that he'd let us help. He probably thought we were after her fur."

Cheetara frowned. "Why would we want her fur?"

"Didn't you see it? Completely white. I think she was a rare kind of snow leopard. Among certain black markets, particularly in the east, rare cat hides can be…lucrative."

Lion-O's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? I've heard those old stories, but I thought for sure they were just…"

Tygra shrugged. "You miss the monkians a few days back? It's not legal, but nobody really cares. Cats are the minority, but you're fine as long as your fur isn't pretty. Even cats kill each other for a bag of gold there. I don't think anyone would have a problem with someone killing a mutated person if they were tearing things up."

"How terrible." Snarf climbed into the kittens' laps and rubbed against their arms soothingly. "No wonder he was nervous."

"Can't we do something?" Kit asked. "That poor cat."

"Yeah, and the guy must care about her! Unless he's a bounty hunter too," Kat added, looking pale.

Panthro's back still hurt. He coughed once more and Lion-O gave him a worried look. "Following him would be a bad idea. He's no pushover, and he might have rights to this land. We're getting close to Icla anyway. We're going to need supplies. Even fuel is getting lower than I'd like. This stuff won't cut it for winter weather." He settled in and Lion-O sat down again after a moment. "We can't go tearing off after them right now."

"I guess not." Lion-O let Cheetara lean on him and Snarf curled up in his lap. "Just makes me wonder how many people's lives are being torn apart by Mutation."

Panthro wondered too, before he went to sleep, aware that Tygra had moved to the front seat to keep watch. He grunted, aware that the kid was doing it so he could rest, and he tried hard not to appreciate it.

* * *

"Thundrillium is mined here and converted to fuel, so restocking should be pretty easy." Panthro spoke as he drove and Cheetara wished she could run in snow. She was glad for the tank but sometimes she got a tickle in her feet and being in a big metal box just – urgh. It didn't help that it had stopped snowing and in spite of the six inches on the ground, the sky was bright blue and crisp. The air was painful in her chest, an exquisite sting that reminded her of a stitch in the side from running too much.

"Anything we need to watch for?" Lion-O asked. He seemed to direct the question to Tygra, who stroked his chin.

"There are some nomads – arctic foxes and wolves mainly – that travel the area, but they're pretty peaceful. Open to trade even. Mom's on good terms with them, offers them a place to stay when it's bitter cold and they're passing through. They give her info and good deals in turn. Icla mainly consists of Luna and cats that like the snow. As for the villages around, I can't say. Didn't visit them much. If you've got gold they'll probably deal."

Panthro grunted. "I know Cicle well. I can deal there." He grew quiet and Cheetara tilted her head.

"Do you not like that place?" He glanced at her. "You sound a little…cold."

He snorted with amusement. "Cold? Sure. It's cold everywhere here. But it'd be a good place to stock up on provisions. We won't find friends in Lune."

Cheetara didn't press the subject. Panthro wasn't telling her something, but that was his right. Even if she really did want to know. "Are those the nomads?" Tygra squinted in the direction she pointed.

"Yeah, looks like it. Wait, that's – Panthro! Move!"

Panthro swerved just in time. Something exploded to the right of the tank, rocking the icy ground and sending snow flying. They spun for a second but the Thundertank quickly recovered, engine purring as Panthro threw it into park. "What in the Ghen's accursed red flames is wrong with people up here?" he snarled. "Kids, stay here."

Not sure if he meant the kittens or all of them, Cheetara followed him out, Lion-O close behind her and Tygra bring up the rear and shutting the hatch. "Keep an eye on them," he told Snarf. She heard a chorus of complaints from the kittens before it closed.

Cheetara knew a flare gun when she saw it, and saw the fizzling light melting the snow where the tank had been. The smoke smelled like gunpowder. Two wolves were holding the gun, teeth bared slightly as Panthro approached. Behind them were several cloaked figures, foxes and wolves alike, yellow eyes glinting. Lion-O put himself between Panthro and the group before they got too close. "Look. Let's just talk first."

Panthro's artery was pulsing in his neck but he stopped and allowed Lion-O to approach. "Why did you fire on us? Have we entered private territory?" Lion-O spoke carefully, keeping a respectful distance.

"You are from the south. We will tolerate no more southerners. They enter with strange materials and leave with that cursed Mutation. The corruption here is bad enough already." The wolf was male, silvery, and Cheetara assumed he was the alpha. The others looked at him, eyes flicking as if for assurance.

Lion-O nodded. "We've encountered many Mutation traders and done our best to stop them. Not all southerners want more destruction. We have business in Icla and then Lune, and hopefully it will help stop what's happening."

The wolf clicked his teeth together. "You might be telling the truth, you might not. I do not know. Therefore you will leave. Go back to the south, lion. You do not belong here, whatever your intentions."

"Please, it's important. We mean no harm, only help." Lion-O put out a hand in earnest and the wolf bounded forward, snapping. Lion-O jerked back and Cheetara found herself beside him all of a sudden, staff held defensively. He was still three feet away, but those long, powerful legs ate up the distance quickly. "Wait, no, we don't need to fight!"

"Hey!" Tygra squinted. "Do you know my mother? Matrae? You're the Wandering Winds nomads, aren't you?" Some of the others muttered. "She lives in Icla. I'm traveling to see her with my friends, and to see if we can't do something about the crap in Lune. She'd vouch for us I'm sure."

"She has said nothing about her son coming to visit," a fox observed. Her ears looked as if they'd been torn off by something with long teeth.

"Communication with the south has been blocked off. What about Mi-Ao? We know him too, he's a decent trader and a good man." Tygra crossed his arms. "When did this blockade thing start?"

The alpha wolf snarled and Cheetara spotted a pair of girl pups huddled behind him. Her anger lessened considerably. "A month ago. One of our friends, a shepherd, lost his daughter to the drug, infected by a trader. She runs mad now, and he seeks to save her or kill her. I will not lose my daughters or my people. Even if that means driving away potential friends."

Lion-O looked pained. "I'm sorry this is happening. But we absolutely must get through to Icla, and if we were part of the Mutation trade we wouldn't have stopped to talk-"

"Leave. Now. We will send word to Matrae and see if she will vouch for you. Until then, if you attempt to enter, we will attack you." Cheetara saw spears and another flare gun, and knew that the tank could handle them. The flare was hardly a weapon, but it was probably the closest they had for a tank. The pups were trembling and she touched Lion-O's shoulder.

"Maybe we can look for the woman…what was her name, Snowmeow? If we could help save her maybe they'd trust us more."

He looked at her. "That's a good idea. Panthro?"

"Time is of the essence. We ain't got a lot." Surly, the panther turned back toward the tank. "But blowing a bunch of people up for not moving strikes me the wrong way."

"What about fuel? And supplies? Who knows how long it'll take to get to my mother and back, and if they'll even listen?" Tygra asked. The tank was warmer than the outside as Panthro drove away, leaving the nomads glaring. "If we can't trade with the villages, we have to figure something out. Like, yesterday."

"The rock here is rich with Thundrillium. I could melt it down and convert it to fuel if we found a good vein. And if we can do some hunting while we look for Snowmeow, we can make it. We'll have to stretch a little is all." Panthro sighed. "I hate the north."

* * *

It took six hours to find anything in the tundra-turning-glacier that looked like it might make a decent place to look for Thundrillium to melt down. Lion-O remembered all the canisters of fuel they had packed and sighed when he thought of the two that were left. It didn't seem like they'd been traveling that long, but it had been almost four months. That he'd been gone from home so long seemed incredible.

Night didn't fall quickly at all as the small mine came into view, Panthro parked the tank in front of it and they climbed out to explore the cave. It occurred to him that it was just coming onto the end of summer for the north and the days would be getting shorter for some time.

"Good supports. It was abandoned recently. Might be enough ore." Panthro knocked on the walls and eyed the mine cart and short tunnel leading into the carved opening. They stood in a larger chamber, probably meant for the workers to camp in. It was just large enough for a cramped group. "Put up the tent cloth to cover the entrance. We can stay warm enough in here with a fire, and we need to conserve fuel in case we can't find anything."

They obeyed, Lion-O tearing apart old barrels for kindling. A few chunks of glittering, golden Thundrillium rolled out and he gave these to Panthro, saving one barrel for what he found. With this in tow Panthro entered the mine, and they heard him tapping away with the abandoned tools.

Cheetara helped start the fire and set out the blankets, ordering the kittens to bundle up especially. "It's not going to be comfy tonight but we'll be okay." Tygra made soup to stretch what they had and warm their stomachs.

Lion-O entered the mine with a blanket on his arm and a bowl for Panthro, who seemed unwilling to leave the frigid tunnel. "Why don't you take a break? It's been three hours."

"I've almost gotten enough to melt down for a few canisters. I'll rest when the barrel's full. Keep the fire hot." He took the bowl in his dirty hands and drank it down, swallowing three times. He handed it back.

Lion-O unfolded the blanket and draped it over Panthro's back. "I hope we can help that Snowmeow woman." Panthro muttered in reply, and Lion-O bit his lip. "Are you going to be okay? I know Cicle…you usually visit on your own."

Panthro gave him a frozen look, gray eyes flinty. "I don't have to stop by the cemetery. My job is to get you to the King's Door, and quickly. Graves don't go anywhere."

"We'll have to stop for supplies, let Tygra talk to his mother. You should take a little time." Lion-O turned away when Panthro didn't answer. "Or don't. I just wanted you to know it would be fine. I'm not sure what to expect in Lune."

"We still have to go there." He started tapping away at another thin shell of stone. "It's been a while since I had to speak to any locals. They won't like my mark."

Lion-O bristled. "Why should the way you were born matter?"

"It doesn't, but try telling people that. Anyone associated with prostitution is scorned. Even the ones that wanted to leave it." Panthro said nothing else and Lion-O wished he could say something without sounding saccharine or pitying. Panthro would dislike either.

He gripped the larger cat's shoulder. "I wouldn't have made it this far without you. I mean that. Thank you for agreeing to come."

Panthro eyed him. He might have given Kit the same look when she held his hand when she was frightened. Lion-O wasn't sure what it meant. "Go get some sleep. I'll leave off when I get the ore and then I'll keep watch until-"

Snarf yowled and a great tearing sound made Lion-O turn to the mine entrance and run for it, seeing claws flash through the tough fabric they'd stretched across the opening. Glints of the white cat from before flashing her teeth sent him to the antimutagen, kept warm near the fire.

"Hey! Get off my tank!" Panthro roared. Lion-O heard the claws clattering on something metallic and realized she had jumped on top of it to get to the entry. Cheetara stood in front of the kittens, looking to him seriously.

"Can you inject her with the antimutagen? She's mad."

He didn't answer as Snowmeow roared in frustration. The tarp was tearing but long strips of cloth were stuck in her icy claws and the entrance to the mine was small. It was clear she couldn't get in without something giving. She lashed out, tossing her head and trying to barrel through.

The supports overhead rattled and Lion-O shot forward to try to make her stop. Panthro looked up with his teeth showing and grabbed Lion-O by the back of the cloak, Tygra by the tail – the tiger screeched in protest – and threw them into the corner with Cheetara and the kittens.

Snarf just managed to make it into the crook of Lion-O's arm before Panthro forced them all down and braced himself against the wall over their heads and the ceiling cracked and began to fall, the mine's cave entrance burying them in hundreds of pounds of stone.

* * *

Tygra was the first one to move. The hard stuff around him was cold and the soft, furry stuff was warm, but it took about ten minutes before his mind came to him. The cat had knocked loose some support beams and the mine had fallen in, if he remembered right. That splintering sound had been terrible, like the cracking of ribs.

He could breathe. Good. He squirmed and felt Lion-O shift. "Tygra? Cheetara?"

"I can't believe he pulled my tail. Of all the crazy things."

Something over them in the cramped mess of confused stone shapes grunted. "Next time I'll let the rocks fall on your head."

"Panthro!" Kit started moving but Cheetara gripped her.

"I'm all right kid. Just stay still. Don't want to cause another collapse." Panthro sounded strained and Tygra reached up with one arm and felt a few rocks around them. "Hang on. Tygra, can you dig a hole out? The rocks are smaller by my side here."

Tygra obeyed, tail still aching. Ordinarily it was a great and dirty slur to grab a cat by the tail, but when he felt the weight of the rocks – and considered how his skull would have held up against them – he was glad Panthro had pulled him to safety.

Panthro was hurt though. No one sounded like that unless they were in real pain and ignoring it.

It took a couple of minutes to burrow out but when Tygra finally breathed the cold air again he turned right around and saw a pile of rocks where there camp had been. Some chunks of the mine entrance still stood, but they were under bare sky now instead of a cavern's ceiling. The little remainder of the mine's tunnel seemed forlorn and frightened in the exposing starlight. Lion-O crawled out after him and looked at the pile aghast. It was taller than Tygra, and the air seemed strained as if it couldn't bear the displaced weight.

"How is he holding that?" Tygra shook his head and as soon as Cheetara and the kittens were out, Snarf clinging to Lion-O's neck with his claws gently pricking his skin, the cats started pulling at the rocks, trying to find a hint of dark fur.

Five minutes felt like forever under the cold, dark sky and on their numb fingers, but at last they burrowed deep enough to form a gap and Panthro came crawling out. Tygra felt weak when he saw the cat lay still, arms bruised bright and swollen. His tail looked bent from the weight of the stones and his right leg was obviously broken. "Panthro…"

Cheetara stooped immediately. "We need to get the tank and take him to a village. We'll get past the nomads somehow, they'll have to understand."

"I'm fine girl. Don't need any blasted nursemaid." Panthro's voice was softer than usual and his lips were pale. Cheetara ignored him, finding a corner of the tarp and tearing off what she could to drape it over him like a blanket. "What about Snowmeow?"

Tygra heard the rocks start to rattle further away and groaned. "Lion-O, do you have the antimutagen-?"

Snowmeow burst from the debris and sprang toward them, enraged by the shock of the impact. Tygra – suddenly very angry and quite fed up – took the vial and whistled. "Hey! Big and hairy!"

She stopped and hissed, long teeth glistening and her whiskers flared like frozen spider webs. He beckoned tauntingly and she thundered toward him, away from the others. Tygra cracked his whip and disappeared, and the astonishment on the creature's face was almost hilarious. He ducked forward and stabbed the needle of the vial in, plunger sinking.

Snowmeow yowled but did not move when he became visible again. She blinked dumbly, wobbling, and her clawed toes flexed as the forelegs shortened, bent, fingers extending.

When she'd returned to her real form she stood a little taller than Cheetara and considerably curvier. Her white fur was thick and supple, and she was actually rather pretty, maybe eight years older than him. She blinked big, dark blue eyes at him and promptly fell into him, unconscious. Tygra was surprised to find he fell over.

She was dense and muscular, built for bitter cold like most of the northern cats, and after digging through a cave-in Tygra supposed it was no reflection his strength when he waved a hand for assistance. Not to mention the fact that it would be quite difficult to get a naked woman off of him without touching her someplace awkward. "Uh…little help?"

It took half an hour to find another cave, nearly draining their remaining Thundrillium fuel. Panthro wanted to drive but with his broken tail he was stuck lying on his stomach across several seats in the back. Tygra would have been absurdly excited to be driving if it hadn't been because of such a terrible accident.

Snowmeow lay in the passenger seat, wrapped in a few sheets and scraps they had salvaged from the wreckage, and everyone else crammed into the remaining seats, Kat and Kit taking turns cuddling with Snarf. Upon reaching another cave they piled out, looked around to check for stability, and set up a roaring fire to tend to their wounded.

Panthro's tail needed a splint, and Tygra helped Cheetara apply a makeshift one with a stick and a bandage. Lion-O fetched them everything and watched in anguish.

Panthro's leg should have had a cast but another splint and copious bandages had to do. Snarf and the kittens took their metal canteens and buried them in the snow, then brought them to serve as ice packs for Panthro's bruised arms. Kit in particular looked sober as she put one against a burning mass on his right arm. "Thanks for saving us." She kissed him on the cheek and Panthro almost looked gentle.

"I think you two are still a couple up on me. We'll get even eventually." Kat grinned weakly.

Snowmeow stirred hours later, when the fire had burned well into their wood and the room was becoming almost tolerable. Tygra gave her a wary look when she shifted under the piece of tarp. "Guys." She sat up and turned her head, hair thick and wavy on the piece of tent cloth wrapped around her. When she spotted them she paused and looked at her hands, eyes growing wide. Some foreign language came from her smooth lips and Tygra frowned. "I caught maybe five percent of that."

She seemed nervous, looking toward the entrance. Panthro, surprising him, spoke a few words of the language and her ears perked. "I ain't very good at Lunar language, but I heard it when I used to live in Cicle. I told her we're friends, that we helped."

Cheetara took some of their precious rations, a little dried meat and tough bread, and melted snow for water. She gave these to Snowmeow, whose hands shot out and tore into it as if ravenous. "Think the nomads will believe we want to help now?"

"If we even have enough fuel to get to Icla," Panthro muttered. "Ghen, I had the ore, I just needed to melt it down and fuel the tank…now what do we do? I'm useless like this."

"You saved our lives," Lion-O said sharply. "We'll be fine Panthro. I'll see if I can't find some ore in here. If not…"

"I'll find help. I'm fast enough," Cheetara said calmly. Tygra glanced at her and then at Lion-O. "I remember where the nomads were, I can tell them what happened."

"What if they don't believe you?" Tygra asked.

She didn't answer and Tygra sat down, letting the fire warm his tired body. The heat revealed his colors and he smiled wryly. "Man we're filthy."

Each of them looked themselves over, covered mostly in dust and smudges from the old mine. Snowmeow's fur was least mussed but she didn't seem to be paying attention anyway. She was looking toward the cave entrance they hadn't been able to cover, gusting cold air in that curled at the edge of their fire. She really was quite pretty, and had a sweet, childish expression on her face.

Suddenly she stood up and shrieked with laughter and ran for the cave entrance. "Wait! Hey, you'll freeze out there!" Lion-O called. Cheetara took off after the girl but didn't quite get up fast enough to catch her before she made it out to the snow. Being thinner Cheetara was blown back by the wind and Lion-O had to keep her from falling over. Tygra forged out into the snow to see what she was doing and his eyes widened.

The shepherd from before was standing in front of the girl. She looked elated, jabbering quickly and pointing back at them, thick hair roiling around her shoulders. Tygra's stomach dropped. "…I hope she's saying good stuff," he said.

Lion-O squinted into the snow, Cheetara hanging on to him as the wind whipped around them. The shepherd suddenly took Snowmeow into his arms and lifted her like a baby, swinging her around and hugging her tightly. She laughed and kissed his covered face all over, and he might have lowered his balaclava for a moment to kiss her forehead. They spoke in that foreign language again and the shepherd turned his eyes on them. It was impossible to read his expression behind the replaced mask. He approached, silent except for the snow crunching under his large, clawed feet. The wind was blocked when he stood before them, warmth radiating off his body. "Which of you gave her the medicine?"

The three exchanged glances, aware that Panthro had dragged himself to the entrance and was staring with his fur bristling. "Uh…well, that would be me," Tygra admitted.

His feet left the ground as the shepherd grabbed his shoulders. For a second he thought the cat was going to pop his head off but the man tugged down his balaclava and planted firm, masculine kisses on Tygra's cheeks.

Tygra stared. Northerners.

* * *

"I have never trusted southerners, but now I find that I owe my entire world to them. I have never been so glad to be wrong." The shepherd poured a carved cup of liquor and handed it to Panthro. "That will take the edge off until morning. As soon as the sun rises I will personally vouch for you to the nomads."

Cheetara politely refused a serving of alcohol. She had explained to Lion-O before that her family, while they had sold liquor, did not sell anything truly potent. One had to drink copious amounts to get drunk. Lion-O's hair stood on end just from the smell of this substance and wondered if it might be the stuff Tygra had called iceshine. Panthro downed it with a slight pause and a small cough afterwards. Cheetara watched him worriedly before saying, "So, Sanoshaka…sorry, Seosashak…"

He held up a hand. "Dear Cheetara, please call me Snowman. I have earned the name living in these cold lands and I love it almost as much as I love them. "

"If you're sure. Snowman. How did you find us out here?"

"I have been tracking my precious daughter Snowmeow. I had left out dead shegoats to try to lure her back to the fields so I could protect her while I devised a means to return her to herself. When you entered what she had staked out as her territory, I think she took it as a challenge for a fresh meal." Snowmeow cocked her head and he murmured to her in Lunar language. She squawked and smacked his arm. Snowman grinned, gray whiskers thick around his smile. "I followed her trail, and found you with her."

Unlike his daughter, Snowman had many dark, thick spots on his leopard coat, although a silvery sheen covered his body. He seemed older than Panthro, but his liveliness made him impossible to place his age. When he'd removed his cloak he had revealed many bags of traps, provisions, first aid, some currency, and one heaping shegoat skin of liquor. He also had, resting on his hips, a large shield carved from an unfamiliar brown metal and a long, pointed blade that looked like diamond.

He had also been carrying a fur dress in his pack, and Snowmeow was dressed in a warm, conservative gown that matched her white fur. Lion-O noticed Tygra wiping his face again and grinned; the northern culture tended to favor kissing in greeting, and Tygra did not seem to share the sentiment. Snowman didn't notice, too glad to have his daughter sitting beside him and chattering.

"Excuse me, Mr. Snowman? Who did this to your daughter?" Kat asked. The jovial look on the snow leopard's face dimmed and he looked grave.

"The one who did it is dead. I saw him put the green liquid in her and saw her transform. It was the most terrible thing I had ever seen, watching my daughter suffer. I broke his neck when she fled and I could not stop her. He was a Luna, part of the trade and parlaying with a group of nomad friends. When they didn't want to trade their gold for his goods, he grabbed my dear and put that poison in her. She attacked and the nomads scattered." Snowmeow was leaning on Snowman, blissfully ignorant, and he kissed the top of her head. "She ran and I followed after killing the man. Luna are becoming far more hated than I would ever have imagined."

Lion-O felt Cheetara shiver once and shrugged out of his cloak, putting it around her and the kittens. They huddled up with her under the ragged cloth and she gave him a wry look. "I feel like a mother bird." He smiled and she nudged him. "So, nomads. Snowman, will they be more at ease now?"

"Alas, my daughter was neither the first nor the last. There are more out there, and less holy things. But to know there is medicine might help. Until the trade is stopped there will be no real peace." Snowman glowered at the flames, turning bright gold in its light. "Have you heard of Lunata? The one the Luna call Mama Luna?"

"We've heard plenty of stories so far, and she's sicced a few henchmen on us," Tygra admitted. "She's running the trade right? Trying to make an army or something?"

"So they say. I have heard rumors of great pens that hold thousands of the beasts underground, and that she waits to place a spell on them so she can bewitch their minds and use them in war. But there are other tales too, that she has a plan for them even after they die. A use for their souls."

Cheetara's tail stood up. "Like…a sacrifice?"

He put up his hands. "It would not surprise me. A witch might steal souls to control a demon. But as far as knowing, that's beyond me. You would have to ask her, and I'd sooner run her through." He stamped a foot against the ground. "But now is not the time for such words. Now it is time to rest, and tomorrow I will take you to the nomads so you may reach Matrae. I have spoken with her several times, and she seems a wise woman. And quite handsome."

Tygra choked and spewed his drink. Snowman didn't seem alarmed. "She is a popular tigress, young cat. Keep an eye on her, for many rogues with silver tongues wander Cicle."

"She'd sooner cut out silver tongues to sell and use the proceeds to help the poor," Tygra rasped, coughing. "You said there were things other than the mutated out here?"

"The servants of the witch, the ice puppets. I have seen two. They are made of chunks of ice, no skin or organs. They move as bewitched dolls, her servants to patrol the northern lands. They are most common once you move beyond Cicle's borders." Snowman's eyes were dark and Kit huddled close to Lion-O, as if the creatures would jump out from the shadows. "She is very powerful to give movement to nonliving things."

Lion-O folded a comforting arm around Kit's shoulders. "They can't be very strong if they're made of ice."

"Not alone, but with several attacking they can be dangerous. I say a torch to melt them would deal with the problem." Kit seemed to relax when Snowman grinned. "Come now, I'll tell a better tale. Have you ever heard of the legends of the beautiful ice princess, one whose song froze the heart?"

He launched into a pretty tale that soon entranced the kittens, and even Panthro seemed to set his chin on his forearms and listen as the alcohol dulled his pain. Lion-O worried after the splints but there was no better method of treatment for now. The story warmed the night and chased the shadows back, and Lion-O never remembered falling asleep as the fire crackled.

* * *

The wolves ran ahead of the Thundertank, keeping pace with its slow prowl through the snow. "Thundrillium is plentiful here," one bayed. "Matrae will have no shortage of it!"

The engine was complaining heavily but Tygra wasn't worried; they had less than fifteen minutes to arrive, and even if he had to push the stupid tank they would get there. Every time he waded through the ice and snow to see his mother she gave him the exact same look. It was always inviting, delighted. The sensation was perfect, that of coming home, even when the nights were so cold that to step outside was death in two minutes.

Panthro listened to the tank's cries with tight fists. "Don't tear her up more than you have to," he muttered.

The nomads had greeted Snowman with loud calls and joy, and Snowmeow with even more. All but a few changed their stance on the southerners completely, and Tygra still couldn't get the feeling of strangers' lips off his face. Yuck.

Lion-O was riding shotgun and seemed to laugh when he rubbed his face, as if he knew exactly what Tygra was thinking.

Snowman was a strong cat but he was nowhere near as swift as a wolf or fox. He would never have been able to keep up for long. He had taken one look at the tank and decided it would be far too cramped. And so he sat on the roof of the vehicle, under the open sky and crisp air. Snarf sat in Lion-O's lap, peering over the dash. "Is that it?"

"Yep, Mom's manor. Looks like she finished that other wing." Mom's icy home was actually constructed of a gleaming blue metal, camouflaged against the landscape like most northern manors. It stretched hundreds of feet and Tygra sighed. The woman was always busy with some philanthropy. Making a place for beggars to stay, opening up a few rooms for educating poor creatures in literacy…she was a curious and big-hearted woman. The house was a mansion, but not some stuffy thing. It had many uses, and he was glad to see it at last, nestled into the mountain range that ran between Icla and Cicle.

The wolves slowed and stopped, panting heavily. "Something's approaching," said one. Two foxes yipped and Tygra's head thumped against the steering wheel three times.

"We can't just get somewhere without being hassled, can we?" Lion-O climbed out of the hatch and peered across the sunlit snow. "What do you see?"

"…They're so strange," he replied. Tygra made sure he had his whip and followed him out.

Snowman looked grim, black gums showing as he breathed. "They've come further. Close the hatch, don't let them near my daughter or the children or Panthro."

Cheetara jumped out and closed the hatch, muffling Panthro's scalding retort. Her staff crackled and she shuddered. "Creator protect us." Her voice was strong, and Tygra realized she was unhappier with the cold than the creatures.

The ice creatures were small, about the size of the kittens. They had no real limbs or heads, just roughly hewn ice chunks that made up childish arms and legs, clawed fingers, and their legs ended in icicle points. Most alarming – Tygra felt his hair stand on end – was the fact that they had no faces at all in the icy lumps of their "heads". No features, no mouths. And they made no sound, running toward the nomad escort and the tank.

Lion-O was the first to jump down. He swung out and the Sword of Omens seared red, cutting through the nearest ice creature. It cracked along the middle, splitting against the blade, and it crumpled to pieces.

The battle began in a rush of fur and ice, and Tygra grabbed the nearest one with his whip. He flicked it upwards and then back down, surprised at the tiny weight. It slammed into the snow and shattered, pieces buried in soft drifts. He smirked. "Finally, something easy."

His mirth slipped off his face as the pieces twitched and rolled through the snow, leaving little trails as they rejoined and built back up like a child's blocks. The body cricked and crackled, lunging forward again. "Oh that's…come on! Not fair!"

Lion-O was discovering the same issue, although those he felled with the Sword took longer to recover, and the wolves' punches and dagger thrusts were slowing. "Can we melt them?" Lion-O called. Cheetara's staff whirled, crackling with electricity, and the burst of heat scalded one beast, melting it into a puddle. It didn't rejoin and the ice puppets seemed to deviate around her.

"Not all of them!" she said. Tygra ducked, nearly peppered by the icy claws, and kicked up to take off the head of one of the puppets. The chunk of ice went flying and the body paused as if confused. It would have been funny if the situation were not so dire. How did one kill an enemy that was just a pile of ice? Or rather, how the heck did they start a fire out here?

Snowman kicked one like a toy across the snowy plain, and on another he poured a draught of iceshine. The creature fizzled and slowly sank into the ground under the alcohol, and Tygra stared. Before he got a chance to consider what that might do to one's liver, he jumped back toward the tank. "Do you have any flamethrowers in there?" he yelled, pounding on the hatch.

"No! Fire and Thundrillium are a real bad combination!" Panthro cursed and Tygra supposed he'd tried to stand up.

"Great. Just great." Tygra whirled around to see four of the creature circling Lion-O and needling him with their fingers. "Lion-O, left!"

Lion-O turned and took of the head of the offender easily, body shifting like a serpent's. He kept up with the creatures but for some reason the Sword of Omens wasn't glowing anymore. Come to think of it, the blade wasn't breaking the curse on the ice. Magical or otherwise, it was a lot quieter than it usually was. Tygra jumped down off the tank, kicking another icy figure in the stomach.

Should they retreat? Find some kindling and come back with torches? Tygra felt a sharp pain in his side and looked around to see a particularly sneaky creature with its fingers dripping. Enraged, he punched it in the head hard enough to crack the ice and send the chunks flying.

A chorus of surprised howls made him look around, wondering if more of the creatures – there were fifty at least, and they kept coming back – had appeared. Instead he saw something that made him sigh with relief.

A woman was dancing her way through the creatures, her ruddy fur a delicious orange and bold black against that white, dead scape. She wore silver armor to protect her back and front but her arms swung free and dexterous. From her hands flung a whip that smelled hot like lightning and carried flame along its length. It was no ordinary whip, even for the fire, for instead of one long end there were two, crackling from each end of the handle.

She wielded it like a ribbon dancer, spinning it into the ice creatures. The two whips whirled in perfect balance, never out of place, striking only where she willed. Where it cracked steam formed and water dripped, and after a minute thirteen of the beasts had been reduced to puddles. The others edged away, faceless in their fear.

They took their chance. "Follow me!" she called. It was a queen's command, to disobey was ruin. Tygra jumped back into the tank and slammed on the gas, kittens and Snarf in the passenger's seat as they watched through the windshield. Lion-O and Cheetara didn't bother climbing in, grabbing onto the sides of the vehicle and holding on as they tore away from the creatures. The icy figures didn't follow, standing as if they were watching them go and considering it. Even the nomads, slightly slower, were not heckled as they went.

Snowmeow had been in the seat beside Panthro, and jabbered excitedly. "Who's the cool lady?" Kat asked, staring at the red figure as she sprinted.

Tygra didn't get to answer, holding his breath until they passed through the gates of the manor and the doors slammed shut behind them. They weren't a moment too soon, as he felt the wheel shudder and the Thundertank finally died, fuel tank giving its last. He might have thanked the Creator, it was hard to tell in the rush.

For a moment there was silence as they all panted, Tygra finally breathing again. He realized he was shaking and tried to ignore it, climbing out the hatch sliding down the side. Cheetara was sitting on the ground and Lion-O was standing beside her, doubled over and breathing deeply. "Never. Going out there. Unless. We have. Fire," Cheetara said flatly, arms huddled around her. Their breath came in steamy bursts. Tygra nodded dumbly and looked at the woman that had come to their aid.

Her long hair was white and braided intricately, yellow beads linking the braids like a tapestry. Her eyes were the same yellow, cunning and fierce in that beautiful face. She too breathed hard, and when she looked at him her face was like thunder and honey. Furious around the mouth and brow, tender in the eyes. "You have some explaining to do," she said quietly.

He smiled faintly. "Nice to see you too, Mom."

* * *

Matrae was probably the most excellent hostess Cheetara could imagine. If the scariest.

One look around and the woman had taken Tygra in her arms and scolded him. "Coming up here when it's so dangerous! What a hardhead you are! I should put you over my knee." With this and a flurry of kisses on his face, she whisked the rest of them toward the manor imperiously, nomad and cat alike.

"Lupinne, take your daughters in at once and get them in a warm bath. I'll have some cookies made for them. Snowman if you think you're off the hook for tearing off without waiting for my search parties to help you, you have another think coming. I'll ask the cooks for a few roasted shegoats, you all must be starving. Tygra, your fur is atrocious! I'll run a bath for you too. Did you even pack a comb?"

"Mom," he began awkwardly. Cheetara covered her mouth and tried not to laugh. Matrae looked at her curiously, squinting.

"That cannot be Cheetara. The last picture you sent me she was a little girl!" She smiled, somehow still looking as commanding as a lieutenant and kind as a mother. "How are your parents dear? I haven't been in Dera's Run in so long, but Tygra tells me just about everything that goes on."

"Fine, thank you. A little worried about the business." Cheetara looked up as they entered the doors – the gates locked behind them and the doors opened without a sound – and sighed. "It's so nice and warm in here."

The floor was made of a dark wood from the hardy trees that survived the frost and the walls had been carved from a malleable brown stone that Cheetara didn't recognize. Pictures of flowers and children marked the walls in splashes of bright color and the doors were all cream-colored like ivory. It was grand and echoing in the foyer and Cheetara wondered at the woman that could have this configured in a matter of two years.

Right now the tigress looked dismayed. "You poor girl, look at you. Your lovely hair is filthy." Cheetara, far from being embarrassed, just smiled. "Baths, everyone. And hot meals and clean clothes. And a comb for you, that ponytail is a mess," she added, looking at Lion-O. He felt for it with wide eyes, bewildered.

Kat and Kit, finally allowed out of the tank, made faces. "We don't want baths," each whispered. Snarf nudged their ankles sternly.

"Mom, a friend of ours is injured." Tygra gestured to Snowman, who was supporting Panthro against the latter's wishes. His face was set and the pain rolled in drops of sweat down his forehead. Matrae scanned him and called for a pair of foxes.

"Tend his injuries, take care of him. He's a friend of my son and is to be treated with all the hospitality we can muster. As are they all. Make certain the gates are activated, the ice creatures can't pass beyond them," she added, likely for the benefit of her guests. The foxes nodded pleasantly and went to help him. "Forgive me for being brusque. I honestly wasn't expecting anyone to visit, far less to aid in battle. I didn't even prepare clean sheets for the guest beds…"

Cheetara shook her head. "Your help is very much appreciated. What were those things?"

Matrae's lips thinned. "I will speak to you shortly, but I would like to ask my son a few things first. And all of you need to warm up and get new clothes."

No one protested this. Cheetara hadn't had a hot bath in over two months and when she saw the cozy little tub – made of a similar material as the walls, if far paler – and the soaps and salts, she clapped in delight. She shucked out of her clothes and sank into the water, hissing in pleased pain at the temperature, relaxing as her skin adjusted.

A hot soak revived her, and her fur seemed to glow after ridding it of the layer of grime that had built up. The luster wasn't the same as before but it would probably take multiple soaks to get rid of the stain. The thought made her gleeful. She dried off and combed through her hair and fur, and found that a brown set of pants and a white, loose blouse had been left for her.

Lion-O was already waiting for her and the kittens when she stepped out. His coat shone like smooth bronze in the warm yellow lamplight over their heads. "I haven't seen a grooming comb in a while now," he admitted. "My fur is finally behaving." His hair was still tied back, albeit much cleaner, and Cheetara rather liked the umber color of his shirt and breeches. "That shirt looks nice on you," he added somewhat shyly.

She grinned. "I was beginning to forget what we all looked like when we're clean."

The kittens, in spite of grumbling about a bath, seemed happy to be able run their fingers through their fur without encountering dirt or tangles. The clothing must be a northern fashion, for Kat wore the same clothing style as Lion-O and Kit had a loose-fitting dress that swept around her feet. She hopped along to make the skirt flounce. Snarf had been brushed after his bath, and seemed quite dignified as he followed the kittens.

Panthro was still being tended to – splinting a cat's tail was tricky at the best of times – but Tygra came to meet them wearing clothes much more like his own. "So, yeah. Mom's a little overbearing."

"She's cool. She beat up all those ice guys." Kat made a face. "They were freaky. Did she say anything?"

"No, not yet. I was telling her how we got here and why. She thinks I'm nuts, coming up here to check on her." He grinned crookedly, as if he thought this silly. "Anyone hungry?"

The nomads were nowhere to be seen, and Tygra said, "They're here often. Mom invited them down for dinner but I think they're more exhausted than anything."

Matrae tutted as she approached. "Six of them with the ribs showing and their clothes all worn away. I ask them to come more often but they never listen. Lupinne's a stubborn one." Her dress was plain and red, and Cheetara pondered the dichotomy of how simple some things were and how opulent the building was. With a manor this size she would have imagined gold and jewelry, but the only adornment she saw were the cat's eye beads containing her long white braids. "I've sent food to their wing while they rest so come along, come eat."

The table was a round one, quite unlike a long dining table, and Cheetara helped Snarf into a seat before sitting down herself. Lion-O pulled out the chair for her and Tygra did the same for his mother. She gave him a look. "I'm still cross, Tygra. How your father could let you come at such a time…"

"Dad didn't have much a say, Mother. I told him I was going and that was that." Her brow creased. "I'll message him. We have a portable messenger that flies under the radar."

"Yes. You told me." She sighed and suddenly seemed much less commanding, much gentler. "Dig in everyone. You look like could use a hot meal or five."

Shegoats were common, but Cheetara didn't remember the meat tasting so good before that. The bread was hot and the drink – a light sweet tea of course, Tygra got his love somewhere – foamed comfortably on the tongue. She hadn't realized how hungry she was, and for several minutes it was quiet in the secure little dining room. She noticed that, in place of windows, there were paintings of lush landscapes and blossoms around them. A modest chandelier hung above their heads, softly lit with candles.

"The creatures that attacked you are mannequins bewitched by the leader of the Luna. Her name is Lunata, and the woman is the most dangerous person in the north right now. Save perhaps for her psychopathic daughter." Matrae spoke quietly and Cheetara noticed lines around her eyes as if she hadn't been sleeping. "I know many good and noble Luna and am honored to call them friends. She will never be among them."

"She's the one they call Mama Luna, right?" Tygra nodded when she looked distraught. "It's okay Mom. Whatever she's doing, we're here to stop her."

"That doesn't make me feel better in the slightest." Matrae looked at each them with sharp eyes. "Do you have any idea what she's been doing?"

"Other than ushering in a drug trade that's led to trafficking across the globe? And attempting to control what everyone seems to think is a demon?" Tygra's chin rested on his hands and her lips thinned. "Told you we knew more than you thought."

"This isn't a game. You've been incredibly fortunate so far. If you'd met any of her cohorts-"

"Like Slithe? The Alliance general? Last we saw him was in Tropo. I don't think he can come where it's cold." Kit wiped her mouth daintily. Matrae stared at her.

"Or Gyp? He's really afraid of germs," Kat added. "He got arrested."

"Not to mention Tug-Mug, Red-Eye, Alluro, Amok, Nfumu, and Red. And some other miscellaneous losers," Tygra continued, counting on his fingers. "Mom, haven't you heard about these guys having trouble?"

She stood up. "Certainly. It's one of the reasons she's locked down Lune and all travel into it. Whoever is harming the trade is to be kept out, as thwarting Lunata is not something she takes kindly to."

"We've been the ones doing all that. Attacking her minions, stopping their plans. They were in the way as we headed north and, well, we dealt with them." Tygra rested his head on his arms. "Am I in twubble?" he asked childishly.

She had put her hands to her face. "Where you got your wildness…"

"You. Everyone says you."

Lion-O had been very quiet until now, listening with something like admiration. "Matrae, I feel I have to apologize. The reason Tygra found out about a lot of what's happening is…well, I told him about some of it. And he got worried about you, and since we were all heading north at the same time…"

She glanced at him. "You didn't come only to stop Lunata, did you?"

He looked alarmed. "I – well, that is…"

"All in the north feel Third Earth's tremors. We know something dark is brewing, and not just Lunata's witchcraft." Tygra raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you've seen enough to know it's real child," she said softly, stroking his hair. "What else is it you came here to do? What are you trying to stop?"

Lion-O stared at her for a minute and Cheetara recognized that perusing look he'd given them before telling them about his venture. It made her hair prickle, and she couldn't help but check the Sword of Omens at his hip. It was pulsing with soft light, and she checked everyone's eyes. Tygra had glanced toward it too – he saw it. The kittens did too, they pointed at it. Snarf seemed more interested in a savory soup at the moment but his ear was cocked toward the conversation.

It was weaker than before, tired. Cheetara wished she could breathe more life into it as it pulsed faintly.

And Matrae blinked at the light. "I've heard the rumors that the Sword of Omens was being borne north…but why?"

"It's getting weaker. It's tied to the heart of the world." Lion-O spoke as if tired of hearing it himself. "From what we've been told, we think the Harbinger is feeding there and that's what's weakening the planet and the sword."

Cheetara wished that didn't sound so crazy. Even so Matrae mulled this over in silence, pacing across the room. "We think Lunata is trying to get control of the demon," Cheetara added. "That's why she's raising an army of mutated people, and…and there's something else that we just don't know about. We think she's going to use them after they're dead somehow. Use their souls in a spell to bind him to her will."

"Would it be an army against Thundera? Against the world?" Matrae questioned none of this, still pacing without looking at them.

"We don't know. Possibly both. Do you think she'd want to take over the world?"

Matrae laughed, finally pausing. "Dear girl, she'd control all the worlds if she could! An army. No wonder there are so many in these lands. She sends the ice creatures to herd them to her lands after they are shipped here, and where they go I cannot say. The ice speaks no rumors, tells no tales."

"So they're controlled by her?" Tygra asked.

"By her magic. She uses them as puppets, and she has no shortage of material in the cold wasteland. A drop of Luna blood and the right incantation over the ice, if the old witches who envy her speak truly. That's all it takes."

Lion-O was quiet again and Cheetara wondered what he was thinking. Kit raised her hand. "Um, excuse me? Miss Matrae? If she's going to use the mutated people in an army, and she can control ice, do you think she'd be able to the control the mutated too? Because on their own they don't listen to anybody."

Matrae nodded approvingly in her direction. "I wouldn't put it past her. But perhaps she would have technology to control their impulses instead. Lune is a place of technology, and magic is its ace in the sleeve."

Kat put down his spoon. "So you don't know where she keeps the mutated people? We're looking for our parents, and we think they were at the convention in Tropo last year. When a bunch of merchants were captured."

The tigress's face softened and Cheetara thought of her own mother. "You poor children. Is that why you came here in such a dangerous time?"

"Well, that and the orphanage lady was a Mutation peddler who was gonna eat us for getting her in trouble. And the Sword of Omens told Lion-O to bring us. They tried to leave us with Mi-Ao later but we beat them to the tank and hid in the trunk. But they still make us stay in the tank when they're fighting bad guys," Kat said, looking cross. Matrae blinked and passed him the cookie plate. "Ooh, jam centers! Thanks!"

"Mistress, Panthro has been mended. But he won't listen-"

The vixen that had spoken squeaked and hopped out of the way of the door as Panthro came stumping through with a crutch. "I ain't crippled. Thanks for the splint, but I'm walking." A couple of foxes called after him earnestly. "Stinking nursemaids."

Matrae gave him a bemused look. "Men never do listen." Lion-O got up to pull a chair out for Panthro but he growled and pulled it out himself, sitting carefully. He couldn't hide a wince as he threaded his tail through the back. "I understand you've been taking care of my son and these other children – ah, young adults."

He muttered something. "More like getting dragged around into shenanigans because of them. But yeah. I guess so." Kit hopped to her feet and ran to pour him some tea. "Dang it kid, my leg and tail broke, not my arm!" he snapped. She ignored him and poured a cup. Tygra winked and passed a glass of wine that Kit didn't notice behind the candelabra.

"We're gonna take care of you until you get better," she said sternly. "So don't be a grouch about it. We know you're faking it most of the time anyway." Lion-O glanced at Cheetara, who was already working to stifle a grin.

"I'll get the plate together," Kat said. Panthro said nothing but sat an elbow on the table and groused, ignoring it when Kit tied a napkin around his neck.

Matrae's eyes sparkled as she held her laughter. "They're very fond of you."

He sighed. "Where are my manners? Thanks for all the help. And the cast. Name's Panthro."

"I am Matrae, as I'm sure you've heard." He let Kat put a plate in front of him, heavy on the cookies, and sighed. She smiled. "Children, I'm sure he appreciates that. But he might prefer some stew and rolls before dessert." They gave her a surprised look but let her dole out a serving for him. Cheetara listened as they caught Panthro up to speed and noticed that Matrae was looking at Panthro's arm. No, she was looking at the tattoo. Cheetara could never make out what the symbols meant but it looked like Matrae could read them. She watched Panthro serenely, sympathetically.

"You must stay here and rest a time. The breaks were not bad but it will be two weeks at least before you ought to walk." Panthro said nothing and Cheetara thought they'd be lucky if they kept him off his leg for two days.

"Two weeks? That's pretty quick," Lion-O said, looking at the woman in confusion.

"Here in the north there are powerful herbs that aid in healing. They speed the knitting of bone and we have large stocks of supplies here. I'll send some with you when you go to Lune so you won't need to parley with traders."

For the rest of the evening they talked and ate and rested, something that Cheetara had not realized she missed so much. Matrae attempted to convince Lion-O to let his hair down so she could help him braid it – "It's so thick, it would take another set of hands" – told Tygra of the local happenings – "Sylvan asked me to wed him last time he got drunk, I'm afraid his wife is very irritated. Honestly, he simply must avoid drink, it makes him act a fool" – and let the kittens chatter to her about whatever popped into their little heads.

She smiled at Cheetara near the end of the dinner. "I have some lovely thick sweaters and breeches that will help with the cold. Cheetahs seemed to hate the north more than anyone, poor dear."

She sent them off to bed shortly after, the servants having prepared rooms for each of them. The bed was soft as the Arietta bird's down and smelled like the faintest flowery scent. Cheetara, before falling asleep, groped for one of the messengers – after stopping Alluro the signal had returned – and entered in her parents' address.

"Cheetara? Baby, are you there?" She was ashamed to note that her mother looked fretful and her hair seemed unkempt. But when she smiled Sai's face grew young again. "Oh honey! Yamese, get your tail in here! Cheetara's on the line!"

Her father nearly crashed into the wall behind her mother and she giggled. "Hi Mama. Hi Papa. I miss you."

"Oh, we miss you too, sweetheart!" Yamese looked delighted to see her. "Eating all right? Those boys looking after you? What about the kittens? Are you warm enough?"

"We're with Matrae now. She's so nice. Everyone listens to her too. I missed hot baths."

The relief on their faces was like a balm. "Oh, she's a good one. I'm glad you've reached her. How are the others?"

"The same. Panthro's leg and tail got broken in an accident, but he's healing well." She didn't dare tell them the circumstances. So far they hadn't heard about her illness, Alluro, or anything about how deep the Mutation trade went. They would learn of it soon enough, but it was far too much to say over a messenger. "How are the supplies?"

"Better. Much better. A lot of trade is opening back up with Tropo and Mi-Ao actually sent a letter with a cart of stock saying his business was improving greatly. He's in charge of a part of Tropo now! Just think of it, came down from the north and they made him a mayor or something. And he offered several shipments free to us, really wonderful trade deals too! I can't imagine why. Did you help him with something? He didn't exactly say."

Cheetara felt warm and happy. "Something like that."

They talked a while longer and when Cheetara signed off she sighed and rolled over. They'd made it this far. They'd crossed nearly the entire world and now they needed to heal, make it through Lune, and find the King's Door. Her head was muzzy, comfortable on the pillow.

She fell asleep thinking of doors and kings and icy old crones throwing cookies with jam centers at her. And rabbit noses.

* * *

"Creator, if you exist, bless that little woman I call my mother." Tygra flopped onto his bed and sighed. Lion-O had an identical one on the other side of the room. "Ah, extra firm. She knows me so well. She keeps the room like this on purpose you know. Your bed okay?"

Lion-O liked a soft mattress, but the bed was so generous and inviting that he couldn't think of anything better. He smiled in reply. "Sorry we're bunking together, but with the wolves here and that draft in the next room-" Tygra began. Lion-O shook his head.

"We've shared a camp and a tank. I don't have a problem with this. I'm just glad we can rest a little. I know we need to keep moving, but the Arietta bird actually put us ahead of schedule. Matrae's going to talk to us in the morning about routes we'll be able to take." He looked around the room, noticing that many toys were set neatly on shelves and books rested besides puzzles, games, chemistry sets. Tygra's interests were many and varied, and had been for many years it would seem. It might have been a child's room if not for the gradation of thicker books toward their end of it, along with diagrams of engineering designs and pictures of architectural feats.

Lion-O paused in looking at the picture of the Imperial Palace. Tygra noticed his gaze. "Is it really as big as it looks?"

"It's the size of a city within the walls. The palace itself is huge, but the grounds sprawl even further. The wall around it is taller than ten panthers and only after you pass it do you get to the nobles. The people within the walls are lords and nobles related to royal blood." He dared say no more but Tygra seemed satisfied.

"Dad took me and Mom to see it once but I was…gosh, three I think. I just remember the great cat's head over us, thinking that it was a giant and we were bugs under it. Weird, huh?"

Lion-O didn't speak for a moment, comfortable in the blankets and sheets. It felt strange to have talked of the Harbinger and then go to bed after dinner. He imagined a little tiger cub with his mother and father staring up at the palace. And he imagined a little lion cub staring out, looking at the wall and wondering if anyone was really out there. "Hey Tygra?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been wanting to ask you about your family. I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but…"

Tygra's quiet contentment seemed to stir. "You want to know why my parents live apart. Why they got divorced."

"I shouldn't have said anything. Cheetara said it was your business and I didn't want to pry-"

Tygra sighed and Lion-O thought he looked younger in his pale nightclothes. They'd been clean and waiting for him as if Matrae kept them ready at all times for his possible arrival. "It's just something that's simple and painful. But I can tell you, it's no big deal. I'm surprised you didn't ask before, people usually wonder what kind of moron would divorce someone like my mother." Even so he didn't speak for a moment, studying his claws. Lion-O lay still under the comforter, looking at the tiger from across the room. "You know, up until I was five, Mom and Dad were happily married, far as I can remember. Sure they argued, but never when they thought I could hear. And they always seemed to come to some kind of compromise or agreement. I figured they'd be together forever."

Lion-O hesitated. "What's your father like? His name is Xiame, right?"

"Yep, that's my old man. A noble in Dera's Run, deals with trade and sanctions and a bunch of other crap you need to be literate to do. A lot of traders aren't. They can count better than a treasury official but read? Pft." Tygra put his hands behind his head and gazed up at the ceiling. "Likes fair trade, kind for the most part. Does what he can to make people happy. Decent dad in most ways."

Lion-O waited, wondering if he ought not have said anything at all. Tygra cleared his throat. "I remember Mom always liked to shop on the weekend and she'd take me with her. She always wore this silver and white dress, one Dad had custom made for her. And she would talk to the traders, see how things were. They worked together a lot. And she'd see if the temple needed any help, were there any people that required resources…devout woman. She always said she wanted me to see how people who weren't nobles lived, how similar they are to us. We had more than they did and that wasn't wrong at all, but we should be kind and charitable and treat everyone right. She doesn't believe in putting on airs."

"No wonder the people here all love her here," Lion-O remarked. Tygra glanced at him and Lion-O wasn't sure if that look was filled with suspicion or mollification.

"Well, I remember one day we headed back to our house – I remember it because she finally let me try a very mild sweetshrub berry tea, it was the beginning of something grand – and Dad had been working on some trade negotiations. Nothing weird about that. But when I got close to him I noticed something weird. Didn't mean anything to me at the time, but I still remember it."

"What was it?" Lion-O sensed pain and wished they'd just started talking about getting to Lune to fight a witch.

"Perfume. He smelled of a lady's fragrance."

"Oh. Lion-O waited. "Why was that…?"

"Because Mom didn't wear perfume."

Lion-O stopped. Tygra's eyes were shut. "…Oh."

But Tygra seemed to want to continue. He sighed. "I started noticing that Mom looked at Dad strange. I didn't know anything of course, I was just a kid. But she didn't like to leave him on his own for a while. I don't think she really believed he…well, I guess she thought maybe some noble had brushed against him or something. Anything but what you and I are thinking right now."

Lion-O's heart hurt. Why had he asked? Did sleep deprivation make a person that stupid? "When did you find out?"

"Six weeks after that we had planned to volunteer and give out food at the temple, show young women how to cook and help them prepare meals for their families. Well, Mom was going to do that. I was going to hand her ingredients and lick the spoon." Tygra laughed. It seemed bitter. "It turned out they had enough volunteers and – me being young and needing a nap anyway – Mom decided we'd go home early."

"You don't have to tell me the rest," Lion-O said quickly.

"Just let me say it okay? Might as well finish pulling the bullet out all the way. Catharsis." Tygra had closed his eyes again. "I smelled that same perfume when I went in and Mom did too. She picked me up and went up the stairs – I remember she walked like she was angry – and opened the bedroom door. I peeked even though she told me not to."

He got out of bed and Lion-O sat up, watching as Tygra paced. "I just thought, 'Dad's got a friend over. Sleepovers are fun.' I'll never forget that white fur and the black stripes. I could only see her back, but that white fur and the black stripes." He laughed again and it sounded old, as if it were a joke he'd laughed at too many times. Lion-O's eyes burned slightly.

Tygra seemed to burn off the burst of energy quickly for he sat back down and suddenly looked calm and collected as ever. "So there you have it. My dad was cheating on my mom with some white tigress who wasn't even half as pretty. Go figure, huh? Why do guys always cheat with these women that aren't pretty like their wives?"

"Did you leave right then?"

"Well, Mom took me to my room and put me in there and told me to take a nap, that she would be back. She didn't want me to see the fight." Tygra grinned. "If it came down to Mom or Dad, Mom would win that fight hands down. I don't know all that happened but when I woke up Mom had her things packed, all my toys and books and clothes, and she put me on her hip and we were gone. The last thing I remember from that day is Dad calling after her, saying he was sorry. Sorry! As if…if he had really…ah, whatever. And that tramp was looking embarrassed behind him in a bedsheet."

Tygra's eyes were golden, bright as fire. "We stayed with a friend of Mom's for a few weeks while she got herself and the divorce papers together. She cried a lot then. I didn't get it, I kept asking why we couldn't go back home with dad. She said that Dad had done something bad and that I would understand when I was older. She moved out here and I lived with her for five years. I don't know how they came to an agreement on custody, but after that I swapped here then there for a year until I was eighteen. Then I was old enough to do whatever I wanted."

Lion-O watched him. "When did you understand what happened?"

"I was ten, I think? No twelve. I remember because I was excited, I'd just gone back to Dad's for the second time and we were going on a hunting trip that year. We'd learned about the reproductive process from my tutors – public schoolhouse wasn't for nobles I guess – and I'd put two and two together about what they'd been doing that day. Then I got a dictionary and looked up the word 'adultery.' Mom had mentioned it before, knowing I couldn't read. But I remembered the word." He tilted his head like a bright child. "'Voluntary sexual relations between a married person and somebody other than his or her spouse.' I was a smart kid. I knew that some important promise had been broken. I confronted Dad and he confessed about everything. I guess he has guts if he could be honest about it. I didn't go hunting with him that year."

Tygra lifted his hands. "So now you know the sordid tale of my parents' divorce. Dad messed around on a great lady and lost her. And I learned that no matter how wonderful you think someone is, they might cheat on you or abandon you."

Lion-O looked at the wall. The gradation between childish things and adult things was not so smooth he noted. Games and toys halted and large books began without missing a beat. "That must have been hard. I'm so sorry."

Tygra shrugged. "I'm not the only one who has this story. I won't be the last person to have it either. But you know, I really believed in the Creator when I found out what adultery was. And I hated him." Lion-O gave him a questioning look. "I thought if he would let something so bad happen to my mom, who did so much good, he must just be mean or not exist. For a while I thought he was mean, but then I guess I figured a nonexistent god is better than a capricious one." He seemed a little embarrassed. "Part of it was probably because we'd actually been at the temple while my dad was cheating. Sick irony, huh? I actually went to the temple a few months after he'd told me, waited for dark, and then threw overripe melons at the wall where the sick go to be anointed."

Lion-O put a hand to his mouth. It was sacrilegious and yet the thought of an angry twelve-year-old struggling with heavy melons and throwing them around sounded hilarious. "Didn't anyone catch you?"

"Heck yeah. I only got to throw two before some crazy kid jumped on my back, stuck me in a headlock, and kicked me in the back of the knee. She was skinny and gangly, and taller than me at the time."

Lion-O smiled. "Cheetara."

"You'd better believe it. She yelled at me and said I was being disrespectful and that anyone who wanted to make a mess in the Creator's home would have to beat her in a fight. Well let me tell you, not easy. Not to mention hitting girls has never been something I'm okay with." Tygra laughed. "She was as crazy then as she is now. But afterwards she got the idea in her head that we were friends and she had to save my soul from damnation. I still think she feels that way. She was the first person I ever told about it all. First thing she did was hug me and start praying that the Creator would help my family. And she asked that he forgive me for being a butthead and throwing melons at the temple."

"No wonder you two are close." Lion-O suddenly felt a new pain, not one for Tygra. He wondered what it was like to rely on a friend so closely as a child.

Tygra buried his head in his pillow. "You drink any at dinner?"

"No."

"I did. Not enough. Be better if I had drunk enough to not remember this conversation." He sighed. "You're the second person I've ever told. Y'know? It really isn't that big a deal, but talking about it is just hard."

"Thank you for telling me." Tygra rolled his eyes.

"We're not going to make any friendship bracelets are we?" Lion-O laughed once. "I'm nattering like a girl." He went to sleep after that quickly, as if a broken bone had been set and passing out was the best way to escape the pain.

Lion-O's chest felt bare, if he were in battle without armor. He thought about what Tygra had told him and how sudden it had been. The tiger had confided in him like a friend.

He was a friend.

It was nearly twenty minutes before he whispered, to the silent, sleeping room, "I wish I could tell you guys. I will as soon as this is all over."

He didn't cry but his eyes felt hot again, even when he closed them and went to sleep.

* * *

Chilla was horrendously bored.

Poking at Amok's scratch had been diverting but now he was whimpering and snapping when she came close so she sulked in her room, moodily throwing dresses on her bed. Too heavy, too light, too plain…ah. She pulled out a pure white fur gown and changed into it, tucking her thick hair neatly around her ears and horns. A length of frost-glazed silk trailed behind her. "Perfect. I was in a feminine mood today." She flashed her thick heeled boots and relished the lovely support that carved bone provided one's arch. Leopard bone, so lovely and thick. From a thirty-year-old laborer if she remembered right.

She sauntered out of her quarters and spotted one of the servants. "Where's Mama at? She said I could help today."

She was only twenty but Chilla was nearly as feared as Mama Luna. The servant instantly pointed down the hall. "In her war chamber, analyzing the information on the Thunderan group. Shall I escort you milady?"

"No. I'll be fine on my own." She tossed her hair and shifted her weight to one hip. "How do I look?"

"The image of youth and beauty. An ice storm does not warrant comparing to you."

She grinned. "You're smart. Freeyo's replacement?"

"As you say, milady."

"I think you'll last longer than he did." The dapper Luna bowed and she left, looking for her mother with a cunning look in her eye.

"You took your sweet time, girl." Mama was seated in her icy chair, sculpted like glass to fit her awkward, ancient body. Her white-streaked violet hair looked particularly rough today. It was rare to have color in one's hair, but in times past apparently many had it. It looked silly to her. Chilla tried to give her a mock kiss on the forehead and the woman waved her away impatiently. "I want to show you these images so you know what to look for. These cats are on their way and they need to be stopped. You might need to help with the matter."

Chilla leaned over her shoulder and frowned. "A boy and a girl, a funny little animal, a cheetah woman, a panther man, a tiger man and…ooh, hello! What kind of cat is that one?"

"A lion. Particularly troubling. He's bearing the Sword of Omens and I don't know how or why. King Claudus trusted it to him…and no one can tell me why. They're a fairly rare species." Chilla didn't care about that, eying the image. He had long hair and a surprisingly gentle face. And those eyes…bluer than frostbite. "He's the one who harmed Amok and killed Nfumu."

"Mm, that hair. I like red hair. Any more pictures of him?" Mama gave her an annoyed look as she flipped through the images on the holoscreen. "Are you wanting to capture him mother? I'd love to play a part in that."

Mama Luna paused. "That would be one way of getting the information we want. Why was he sent in particular? How does he have the information he does? Hm."

"I could persuade him to talk, mother. Please? I never get to do anything fun. You've sent Alluro and Red-Eye and Tug-Mug and Amok. You keep me here." Her lower lip protruded. "I could kill them all."

"The question isn't whether you could kill them, it's whether or not they would get to kill you in the process. You're reckless and foolish. And stop drooling over the lion, he's an enemy." Chilla looked mournful on purpose and Mama lowered her brows in disgust. "I wasn't even certain you knew men existed."

"He's pretty. Really mother, are they coming to Lune? I'll help you stop them. They'll be close, even if they want to take the tunnels." Chill ran a long, diamond-hard nail down the hologram. "I don't like Luna boys, Mama. They're so cold and boring. I want something hot."

"Ridiculous child. But I will see about breaking up the group." Mama turned off the holograms much to Chilla's dismay. "If we do bring in a captive, I forbid you touching them."

Chilla's eyes flashed. "Why?"

"Because you're violent and you'll kill him." She climbed out of her chair, stumpy as she walked. "He'd die of hypothermia if you tried anything. It's always the same with mammals."

Chilla followed her mother with her eyes. "That's only with women. Men might not." Mama didn't answer. "You never let me have any fun."

Mama turned and slapped her. Chilla didn't move, blinking lazily. "Your 'fun' is the least of my worries! They've wrecked nearly everything I've worked to put in place! And all you can think about is your own boredom!" Her mother's teeth would have been yellow if they hadn't been so carefully tended over the years, but her purple lips cast an irritating shade over them that was even worse. "My puppets should be able to handle the matter. But there's no knowing when they'll attempt to enter Lune."

Chilla glanced at her reflection. Her cheek was bright purple. She smoothed her hair. "Let me go with them. I can wreak havoc with the best."

Mama gave her a cold look. "…I suppose at this point I may as well play a wild card." Chilla smiled. "Get me the Sword of Omens. If you must have the lion then bring him if at all possible. This is a mission, not some game."

"Of course mother." Chilla left the room, delighted and seething. The door closed and her smile faded into bared teeth. "Mad old woman. Thinks she can tell me what to do." The door was cool and reflective against her back and she examined her perfect, lovely features and the venom in her eyes. Her pupils were too large, but they always had been. Her irises filled the rest of the whites, blue and dark. "Mm, I look forward to your entry to Lune little cats. Mama will like me very much when I shed your blood, and she'll be impressed when the mission goes well."

She licked her lips. "I do like the color red. So rare in this dull, icy land." She bared her pearly teeth to the polished surfaces of the walls around her. "I look forward to meeting you, Lion-O."

* * *

 _End of Episode 16_


	17. Chapter 17

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 17**

 **Graveyards and Kidnappings**

* * *

Cheetara took a hot shower every morning for the next three days and felt like her fur was nearly back to its golden luster. Her spots shone and she wore clean clothes, relishing the feeling of having somewhere safe to stay at last.

Granted they'd been safe enough near the Berbils, and with the Arietta bird, but everywhere they had been had lacked the commodities that Cheetara had grown up with. Hot water, plentiful food, and clean clothing were things she felt she could never take for granted again.

Panthro healed rapidly over the week, stumping around and working on the tank. He refused to sit still and took no medication for pain. "He's got the constitution of a beast, that man. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. A man of Cicle would have to be tough to make it to adulthood."

Cheetara paused. Matrae had been scribbling on a map to detail the best routes and had spoken absently. The vixen had just come to report on Panthro's condition, and whisked back out with a flick of her red tail. Cheetara had been trying to help her lately, although she found herself doing more laundry than anything. The dried clothes were nice and toasty. "'Cicle?' The local village? I didn't think panthers would be here."

"Several are, actually. They tend to prefer warmer climates but it was three hundred years ago that one large family tribe found great wealth was to be had by mining Thundrillium for fuel and selling the processed ore with the Luna. Since then panthers have proliferated in the area. Of course, I don't know Panthro's story. It must have been very difficult."

Cheetara frowned. Panthro was working on the tank and she could hear the distant clink of a tool on metal. Lion-O and Tygra were helping, if his bellow of, "Stop nannying me!" meant anything, for the kittens were with the wolves and Snowman, listening to tales of the land. Snarf was somewhere. Probably napping. Oh, there he was, under a roll of parchment, snoring away. "You think he's part of that tribe?"

"By blood yes. But certainly not in name. His mark, you know." Cheetara blinked and Matrae paused. "Oh…you don't know what it means. Forgive me, I shouldn't have said anything."

"What does it mean, Matrae? Panthro never talks about himself, and ever since we've arrived he's seemed so distant. Well, more distant than usual." Matrae was quiet, tapping her claws on the map. Cheetara brought her another inkwell so she could continue writing her notes. Her office was small and pleasant, smelling of paper and covered in notes in trade agreements. Her desk was carved from dark wood and was lovely to touch.

"That tattoo is given to children when they're born. It…marks the babe of a whore."

Cheetara felt sad before indignation reared up. "…What? They tattoo babies?"

Matrae shrugged. "The panthers have a certain culture and belief when it comes to tattoos. They designate a station and rank, and one's family. If you go to lands where they're numerous, they would all have tattoos. Panthro's was probably administered by someone in the city of Cicle."

"His mother would let them? I'm sorry, that just seems cruel."

Matrae smiled sadly. "It's a common practice for many species in Cicle due to the influence of the panthers there. Even if she didn't want it done, it's simply the normal occurrence."

Cheetara gazed at the map. "A whore's son." She put her hand to her mouth. "Oh my gosh, no wonder he doesn't like me. I probably offended him!"

Matrae gave her a curious look. "When we were in Rana village, after a certain hour prostitutes started working and I said…oh, I don't remember. Something how I thought that kind of business was awful. He probably thought I was looking down on them."

"I doubt that. He's very fond of all of you." Cheetara's eyebrows shot up. "Really. Some men speak without words, and I think he's one. Didn't you see how he let the kittens tend him when he didn't need them? He's let all of you over the last week. That kind of man could get by very well without help, but he allows it." She shrugged her strong, striped shoulders. "Perhaps I read too much into it. But even if you did say something about hating the business of prostitution, I get the feeling he would probably agree with you. There's a dark history in this place."

* * *

"I don't get why you want to go to Cicle on your own. We can help you with supplies." Tygra's voice was irritating under the high ceiling, but Panthro didn't mind; this place had the tools and equipment to put his tank back in shape, and it was better than wine when he took out the charred, abused pieces of engine and replaced them with cool, smooth components.

"I can do it on my own. I don't want to expose Lion-O or the rest of you to the culture right now. Word will get back to this Lunata woman quicker. We don't need to attract her attention yet." Panthro operated with a limp but he was getting better every day. The pain was annoying but he ignored it, checking the treads on the tank's wheels. "There are panthers and snowy cat breeds here. A lion and cheetah would attract attention. Besides, your ma will want you where it's safe as long as she can keep you."

Tygra muttered something but Lion-O was peaceable. "If that's what you prefer Panthro. We'll work on researching Lune. But take a messenger in case."

He grunted. "Yeah. I'll be back in a couple hours. Get the plans ready. We're leaving as soon as this splint comes off my tail."

* * *

 _She was pretty when she danced._

 _He'd been three? Four? Old enough to know pretty. Her fur was black as night, violet where the light hit it, and her hair swung long and free. She needed no beads in it; her eyes were purple crystal and her lips red ore._

 _It never occurred to him how little she wore those nights. He was a toddler; nakedness meant nothing. Smallclothes meant even less. One of her friends – the lady that cleaned the rooms – would dandle him while she worked. He screamed unless he was near her until he fell asleep, and they kept him in a small room, watching through a little window._

 _She held a strange smile, one thing that wasn't pretty those nights. It dripped with something poisonous, hatred masked in coyness. He would learn what it mean in later years. But when she looked at him the venom faded and her smile grew real and her eyes became sad._

 _He must have been three after all._

* * *

Cheetara, afterwards, wondered why she'd followed Panthro.

She hadn't meant to; Matrae hadn't needed any more help and Cheetara had gone looking for the kittens to wrangle them into another bath and happened to see a familiar dark shape in the snow. Panthro seemed to be reluctantly using the Thundertank, taking it slowly, his dark silhouette flashing in the windshield. It wasn't snowing any longer and she knew for a fact that the Thundertank had been outfitted most carefully with weapons to exude heat. The ice creatures would not find them so unprepared again.

But Panthro was driving? He was injured! Cheetara seethed and stormed outside, pulling on a warm cloak. If nothing else she would get some supplies and see what was happening in the city.

She had the presence to pull on her hood so she wouldn't draw attention. Men could be ridiculous. How he was driving without sitting down was something she'd have to ask. She darted down the stairs and into the room Panthro had commandeered as a garage. She heard metal clanging and in the tangled mess within the room she saw broken down tanks, some half-mended and others abandoned and torn to parts. Tygra was rooting around in one of these, pulling out some items that only had a slight dusting of rust. "I could probably shine this up nice. I don't want to be out there and need a new part we don't have access to. Oh, hey Cheetara."

"'Hey?' That's all? What is all this stuff?" Cheetara looked around. "Where did it come from?"

"Here and there. Sometimes people come through with failing machinery and Mom will have her people break things down and resell them at lower prices. For people outside of Lune it's the best chance they have at affording a transport of some kind. And it's not too hard to finagle them into working for a tank." Tygra had grease across his face and the tip of Lion-O's tail – red like a candle – came into view from behind another stack of machinery, whipping curiously. "Panthro just went to Cicle. He said he had some things to do."

"And you let him go on his own? How is he even driving?" Tygra shrugged and Cheetara started for the door.

"Hey, Cheetara, calm down. Panthro seemed to want to get out on his own." She heard the warning in Tygra's voice and glanced at Lion-O. He looked at her with bright eyes, fur musty with dirt from the items he was helping deconstruct, and Tygra waved for her to come back. "Besides, you stick out like a sore thumb."

She shook her head. "Remember the last time we split up? It was only a couple weeks ago after all."

Tygra winced. "Yeah but…oh come on, he's tired of being babied. He's going to get some traveling supplies, survey the area, and come right back."

Cheetara didn't answer, pulling the cloak more warmly around her and opening the metal slat that served as a door. "Hey!" he called.

She waded out into the snow again, rolling her eyes. Cicle was not far, and she could be there in a minute flat in spite of the snow.

* * *

 _"Come one, come all! See the most entertaining boy in Cicle!" He'd back flipped and started juggling snowballs. "A silver and I'll sing! A bawdy song, a loving proclamation?" One of the young women laughed and he grinned at her, balancing the snowballs on his arms. "Or maybe a silver to stop me singing? I'm not very good at it."_

 _She was in plain clothes but they had no holes, a sign of some amount of income. She put a single silver in the bag in front of him. He took her hand and kissed it, aware that she was only a couple years older than he and that she was very pretty. "My lady, blessings on you and your good heart."_

 _A snow leopardess approached and whisked the girl away. "Come! You see that mark? We're not highborn but we're not that low!"_

 _His smile flickered and girl gazed back at him apologetically. He grinned again, baring his teeth more than anything._

 _Ten had been a hard age. His knuckles were raw from the cold and his hands blistered from the cartwheels. His tongue grew tired from jokes and hollering and caterwauling. Hours passed and he took one break when the sun disappeared behind the clouds and it grew too cold to be in the open. He gnawed some bread and melted snow in his mouth for water and was ready for action when the sun returned, barely heating the air._

 _The sack grew. One copper, three, a silver if they were generous. He watched it out of the corner of his eye until the sun began to set and the perfumes began to waft into the air._

 _He picked up his few tricks and the sack and sprinted on frozen ground that burned his feet back to the pavilion. It was faux fancy if he dared to think it, scarlet and purple drapes along the walls and windows. The roof and walls were made up of thin wood and could be taken down by a child if they knew where to untie the supports. There was a campfire, burning with herbs and sweetshrub leaves to make the air pleasant. He stooped beside it and poured out the coins, counting with rapid flicks of his fingers._

 _Enough. Thirty silvers. And even three coppers left over to save for later. He scooped them up again and ran toward the back, through the glorified tent where the perfume got darker and thicker. Three women trailed past him naked but for their thick fur and he didn't spare them a blink._

 _She was in that cursed gown. It was silk and beautiful, lined with lace and sequins, but he would have torn it and burnt it if he could. Her eyes widened when he came pelting up. "Where have you-?"_

 _The cat beside her looked displeased. "Get out of here! You know very well you're forbidden from-"_

 _He shoved the bag into the cat's hands, aware of the three coppers he had in his pocket still. "Thirty. Thirty silver. That's what it costs to board us right? I got it. She doesn't have to work this week."_

 _Her dark, lovely face grew shocked. The man wordlessly opened the bag and counted the money. Then he counted it again, brow furrowing. "Who'd you steal this from?"_

 _"I worked all day to get it." He put his hands defiantly before the man, fingers pink and blistered under his finer fur. "Ever done twenty flips in a row and walked on your hands on ice for an hour? I have. You said it cost thirty silver to board and feed two cats."_

 _"In which case I'm only breaking even. Look, the first few times this was endearing. But you're getting to be a pest." The cat made to hand the bag back but he shook his head violently._

 _"I can bring more tomorrow. And she works half the day cleaning the silks and preparing the stage, and I clean the entire building. You can't say you're not to the good!"_

 _She took his shoulders. "Darling, it's all right. I'd rather you keep the money, save it for something-"_

 _He held still and wished he were bigger. If he were big and strong and fearsome he'd make this man listen. He'd listen or die. But the cat sighed and took the bag. "One week off. Get out of here. If a client sees you he'll want you, and he'd pay more than this to have you, Onca. Go on before I come to my senses."_

 _Triumph made the ground warmer and he ran to her quarters with delight, bringing her the dress she preferred; it was modest, white, comfortable. It had sleeves to keep her warm._

 _Dinner was frugal but filling. She opened a poor, ragged book and read to him and he lay his head in her lap to look at the pictures. "I have three coppers more, Ma. We could go watch the players tomorrow."_

 _She stroked his long, black hair. "Save it my darling. One day you'll be able to make a business as inventive as you are. You shouldn't fret about me so. I'm quite used to this."_

 _He stared at the red and purple walls, wondering if his silver eyes would burn holes in them. If it started a fire perhaps there would be no place for a new brothel. "You shouldn't be. Those beasts should all die, get cut across the throat."_

 _She tutted and tapped his side. "They come from lands where this is acceptable. They don't know any better. They just don't know."_

" _Do you blame your family? For abandoning you to slavery?" He hated them too. He hated many people. In fact, the list of those he didn't hate was rather short. The whores were usually kind enough, and the girl that had given him a silver, and his mother. That was about it._

" _I don't like to hate. It's too exhausting." She stroked his hair again. "I would rather use my energy to tickle you."_

 _He yelped when she darted for his stomach and rolled to escape. "No fair! Ma!"_

 _She caught him and giggled, hugging him. "Little Panthro, you are my treasure. Don't be such a spoilsport."_

* * *

Cicle had changed, but not enough.

He didn't see brothel banners any longer, but the poverty lingered. The huts were thick and built for winter, tar and pitch and straw used to block the cracks. He thought of Matrae and the people who came and went, and realized she was the only reason the village was surviving at all. It would die, and something new would come. She could be build something good with this Creator-forsaken mess if it would let go.

The memories of the people would die with it, but could the land forget? The road wandered and cracked, and Panthro climbed out of the Thundertank.

He had managed the pain well, leaning forward to give his tail some room. It made him feel like an old woman driving but dignity was not something he worried about.

People wandered by in cloaks and heavy furs, and the snow swallowed the sound of conversation. He thought he smelled fish cooking and considered whether or not the tanners and traders would be in the same place they used to be. The florist always was.

He stepped down the path, remembering it with distaste. So absorbed in memory was he that he didn't notice the woman leaning by the nearest hut, wrapped in thick cloth.

* * *

Cheetara didn't know what to make of it. Panthro went and got supplies, and people whispered after him with faint horror. He had no sleeves on his black shirt – he never seemed to feel the cold – and his tattoo was brazen under the sun, daring them to speak up. No one did. He walked with a slight limp but no one offered to help or got in his way.

Her feet were cold but she followed him in silence and at a distance. If he wanted some time alone that was fine, but his injured leg made her fret. He wasn't invincible, and even he might need help if something happened. She noticed he was going into a building and paused at the sign that hung from the wooden overhang. "Flowers of Paradise."

She peeked through the window, squinting through layers of frost and dust that would never come loose from the glass. He was talking to the wolf inside, a little old woman turned white with age, and he seemed disappointed. She stepped around the corner as he exited, watching his imposing shape stalk away with supplies under his arms.

Unable to help herself, Cheetara slipped through the door. A tin bell rang and the wolf lifted her head, sniffing. Her eyes were covered in cataracts and her whiskers drooped with age. "Well hello. A lady cat…something foreign. What's a nice girl like you doing here?"

Cheetara looked around. The flowers here looked slightly wilted as if caring for them in the ice was nearly impossible, but she hadn't seen such greenery in the north. It smelled nice in the hut, and she brushed her fingers fondly over the nearest red blossom. "That man that just came in. What was he looking for?"

"Hm? Panthro? You a friend of his?" Cheetara told her she was and the woman seemed happy. "Why he comes every year for the same thing. This is first one I haven't been able to get any. Chill lilies," she added, as if she'd noticed Cheetara's stare. "They don't grow in the south, much too hot. They only grow in cold places. They're a dickens to harvest because they have these little stingers that snap out if you try to pick them the wrong way. But they're lovely and can bloom out of the ice. They're medicinal as well." She sighed. "He takes them to the graveyard you know. Awfully nice he has a friend to come with him this year."

Cheetara said nothing for a moment. "He takes flowers to a grave?"

"Oh yes. His mother's grave. I remember they were her favorites when he was just a little tyke. She used to bring him in here on her hip just to smell the flowers. Not that you'd believe he was ever so small! Little dickens, such a sweetie."

The woman drifted into a story and Cheetara continued to look at the flowers. "Not to interrupt, but you said you don't have any?"

"Alas, no. I've not had the strength to go get them this year. They're about a mile up the mountain and these old bones…well, everyone kicks it eventually. But the doctor tells me I've some time left if I pootle around indoors."

"You knew his mother? Did she die here?" The woman paused.

"Oh…you don't know? It was terribly sad. This town isn't perfect mind you, but when I was a young woman…it was just evil. It's better now than it was."

* * *

 _Two years had passed so slowly. He became more resourceful and learned how to collect coin and make it stretch. Instead of buying clothes he would work for them, saving his precious coppers and silvers for more important matters._

 _He couldn't always pay the brothel master enough to keep his mother out of the dancing room and out of the subsequent nightly rounds. She was beautiful and men seemed to have a taste for a woman with a tender heart. Panthro wished he could kill every last one of them._

 _Not that all of them were cruel. Many tipped generously. It didn't matter; they took part in this evil and Panthro wondered how they went home to their wives afterwards. "A man has needs" they would say._

 _Well, Panthro needed to protect his mother. He had been eight when she came in crying the first time and he had gotten some idea of exactly what happened in those rooms. The man had not been gentle. "Why don't we leave?" he had asked, heart so large and painful that it hurt to talk._

 _"Because we can't." She had told him what a slave was. She had also told him she came from a richer family but that she had been disobedient in one thing. Onca had refused to marry the suitor her father had selected and run off into the city, thinking to get to Thundera where women had some say in who they wed._

 _She'd fallen in with a bad crowd, taken some bad advice, and ended up destitute. The brothel owner had come with an offer to dance. It had seemed a better alternative than starving. The contract had been deceptive, and within two years she was with child._

 _Panthro had stared. "But…didn't your mother or father want to help you?"_

 _She didn't look at him for a while. Then she took him into her arms and told him the most terrible thing he'd ever heard from the safety of her lap. "They were in the street once and I saw them. When they knew me and I called out to them, wearing a whore's clothes…they turned and left. And I've not seen them since."_

 _Panthro could have drowned in that hate. And in his eight-year-old mind he had decided that if no one else in the world would protect his mother – the woman who loved him and cared for him and tended him when he was sick, the brave and strong woman that had the kind of courage that did not run out under despair – then he would defend her. His fire had kindled and he became a man and left all childhood behind._

 _It could not last forever, his paying for their "fees." Onca was popular, and eventually their time would run out._

 _"No." The cat pushed him away. "These men are not the kind to disappoint, and your mother's been out for a month. They asked for dark cats and dark cats they will get. I don't care if you have a hundred silvers."_

 _Panthro was getting taller but he was still wiry, lean. He'd become sharper and with adolescence came a fiery temper, one that he could barely control. Panthro's tail lashed and the man scowled at him. "Go back and wait for morning. Better yet go outside. Entertain those Thunderan soldiers that were sent here to scout. They must be bored and they've not approached the girls."_

 _Panthro looked to his mother. She kissed his forehead. "Do as he says. It will be all right sweetheart."_

 _The month had been blissfully peaceful but it could not last. She disappeared behind a curtain and Panthro moved like he was made of stone to sit in their quarters, staring at the wall._

 _He had saved up eighty silvers in two years, scraping what he did not have to use to help pay the master. He'd offered it all tonight, desperate, but to no avail. His mother protested, arguing with him and saying that he should save it, that he would be able to make something of himself. Panthro had not told her that he dreamed of buying out her contract._

 _"You could leave, leave and come back someday. You're not bound here! That tattoo doesn't make you a slave."_

 _Panthro dug his claws into the ground. "I won't abandon you," he whispered. "I will never leave you Ma. Just like you never tossed me out like the other girls tossed out theirs."_

 _A round of laughter made his gums hurt as his teeth clenched. Had something funny happened? Were they enjoying themselves? Had one of the women fallen or gotten drunk? Was one of them embarrassed, unused to such a living? Twelve had brought a storm on him, one that stirred his indignation into rage and he stood up and stalked out of the room._

 _The brothel owner wasn't in front of the door any longer. He sucked in a breath – he wasn't foolish, this would mean trouble – and ran to the curtain, pulling it an inch so he could see._

 _To the best he could tell these men were bandits. They had the missing teeth, the mismatched clothing and armor that looked as if it came from five different men, and the dirty faces and smells. Some sat with women in their laps chatting, others watching girls walk by with flicks of their tails._

 _When he saw his mother he nearly cried. One of the men was watching her dance with a lurid smile and a red scar on his cheek. She had that mask in place, the mask that would fool no one if they really were interested in seeing the truth. Panthro tore his palms, claws cutting in, and took a step inside. That black silk dress ruffled around her._

 _Afterward he remembered very little but the roar of noise. The last thing he rightly ever recalled was the man reaching out and pulling Onca's tail. Hard. She shrieked and Panthro saw blood._

 _He didn't only see it, he smelled it. Felt it. Tasted it. Heard the sound of fur tearing and women screaming, furniture breaking._

 _When he came to the man's scar was open and bleeding freely and there were fresh bruises and scratches along his front and shoulders. "You stinking tailsucker! Who in Ghen afire let you in here?"_

 _Onca was there, between him and the man. "Please sir, he's my son. He's young, upset-!"_

 _He slapped her and Panthro screamed. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"_

 _He attacked again, feeling no pain and when three men pulled him off the bandit had something new in his eyes. Fear if Panthro read it right beyond the swelling and streaming blood. "That's right! You be scared! I'll kill you, hear me? I will!"_

 _Half an hour found them outside and muttering, Panthro's wrists tied and his hair matted with sweat and blood. He looked around cuttingly and accusingly at each person in the crowd. It they had intervened on the behalf of the people here this might not have happened. If they hadn't let brothels in none of these women would be here. How many had looked for help and been tricked into this? His anger found many eyes that looked away and he hissed._

 _He had assaulted a man. By the law – the law of Lune and the north – he would be given twenty lashes. He was twelve so he would face the man's whip, not some soft belt. It didn't matter if his mother had been degraded and the man had given her the worst insult a cat could give. It didn't matter that slavery was legal here and defending one's family was illegal._

 _Justice had no place here. Panthro stood straighter and waited under the starry sky. He would stand and he would suffer for justice. That was all right. He knew little enough of it but he knew this much._

 _The first strike was worse than he expected. He buckled but straightened as quickly he could. It hurt so badly he realized that his mind didn't comprehend it, and when it did he would break down crying, but he stared straight ahead and prayed for numbness. The burning was broken by another sting and another; the pain of blisters and cut feet on stone was nothing compared to this agony. But he would not buckle, his knees would not bend. The wind was brutal on the bloodied skin. "Stop! Please, stop! Leave him alone!" Onca screamed, pulling at the whip bearer's arm. "He's my child, stop!"_

 _"What is the meaning of this?"_

 _Panthro looked up, aware that his back was running red. He'd hit the ground and his knees were frozen to it, stinging as he tried to shift them. Drops fell on the ground and melted through the thin snow like hot wine. Cats were coming forward, all wearing the same uniform. Black, black, more black…and a red emblem on their chests. The one that had spoken had dark orange fur and a handsome, masculine face with a white, speckled beard and long ears. But his eyes were strange…milky. Was he blind?_

 _He sniffed and seemed to consider. "Why are you beating this youth? What is happening?"_

 _"Our laws. Our ways. Not yours, Thunderan," one fox muttered. He turned his head directly to the man, who started. The man's hearing was excellent if he could pinpoint him so easily._

 _"Spare some time for a cultureless soldier then," he said wryly. Panthro straightened and felt his skin screaming._

 _"A man insulted my mother. I attacked him to protect her. By their laws I'm guilty of wrong." His voice sounded high and clear in that night air and the cat looked at him, ears twitching._

 _"I paid to enjoy the evening with harlots! Instead I'm attacked by some ludicrous child!" Panthro turned and bared his teeth at the man. "Surely a man is allowed what he's bought!"_

 _The spotted cat turned his head slowly to one of the young women. "You. Young lady. You were there. I smell blood and perfume on you."_

 _She was a pretty little arctic fox, tail smooth and thick. She tipped her long ears back nervously. "Well sir, the boy here did attack the man, but y'see the man had pulled his mother's tail. I know it's our job t'please, but…but it ain't dignified to have to deal with that. An' a boy wants to protect his mum."_

 _The cat looked at her for a long time. Or at least his face pointed that way for a while. "You are indentured to this business?"_

 _Onca stepped forward warily. "I have worked here for fourteen years, and I will not pretend otherwise. But there was trickery, and I am unable to leave. As she said, I think we should have some dignity. I will give any I have if they will only let my son go." No one said anything. This was normal. Everyone knew how a girl came to be a whore in these lands. Pretty words meant nothing, and unbreakable shackles even less._

 _The cat bristled. "Creator forgive me if I'm wrong, but there is little that is so diabolical as what you just described."_

 _She was quiet. "My son was only doing what he thought was right. He is not a slave but he stays with me. He is my greatest treasure and…and I can't bear to see him hurt."_

 _Panthro watched the cat as he composed himself. The bleeding was slowing or freezing, one or the other. The man's nostrils flared with every breath. "Who has the contract binding this woman?"_

 _The master stepped forward. Even now Panthro did not know his name; none of the women were foolish enough to call him by it. He had made colorful names in his mind. "I do. She is not a slave though…she could free herself with twenty gold pieces. That would end the contract and her services would no longer be required."_

 _Twenty gold pieces? Panthro thought of his silver and felt weak with tears. He didn't even have one yet._

" _I daresay she gets no portion of the income she…earns." The cat's voice was dangerous, deep, and the master started sweating. "So she has no chance to free herself. Unless someone here helps?"_

 _Panthro listened to the silence and set his jaw. "I help. I work for coin so she doesn't have to…have to…do those things." The spotted cat turned in his direction and seemed to think about something for a long moment._

 _Then he did something Panthro would never forget._

 _He opened a pouch at his hip and began to count aloud. "One. Two. Three." For every number he threw one more coin on the ground at the man's feet._

 _Panthro had never seen real gold. It was heavy and bright sinking into the snow. When he reached "twenty" he closed the pouch and raised his voice. "All of you are witnesses. This young woman is free to go. Creator take you all if you continue down this path. He is a friend to the helpless and those that are taken advantage of, and an enemy of the unjust and cruel. Your village has cause to fear."_

 _Panthro choked when the cat approached him and with a flex of his powerful arms snapped the ropes around his wrists. He rubbed the raw places and stared up at the man. "Are you all right, young man?" asked the cat._

 _He stared. "I'll be fine."_

 _"Good. If you were gravely hurt I am afraid this would get even worse." The man put a hand gently atop his head. "I hope you'll forgive me. My sight is gone and I don't want to walk straight into you." Panthro felt the easy strength in that big hand and wondered if he could have killed the men. "This child has received more punishment than is fair. If you desire to punish someone for his 'wrong' then please, attempt to exact your law's vengeance on me."_

 _The air was silent as death. The cat snorted. "All right then. We've seen enough. So have you. Be gone."_

 _"Some Thunderan thinks to tell us where to go? Are you here to destroy our ways as Thundera always does?" asked a wolf. The cat shook his head._

 _"Thunderan or not, I will kill any one of you soundly that puts a hand on this boy or woman. I speak for myself, not my country, but I'll not let evil happen in front of me."_

 _Many began to drift away, muttering with outrage and disappointment. Panthro watched them go, wondering if what had just happened was possible. Even the brothel owner left, staring and scooping up the coin, hurrying away as if he thought the cat would snap and run at him._

 _Onca approached and put a hand to Panthro's back. "Darling, your back! Wait and I'll get some hot water and gauze. Oh, if only the healer hadn't gone-!"_

 _"Madam," the cat said, voice suddenly raspy and gentle, "we have supplies. I would be more than happy to help you bandage his wounds. And you may stay with us at our settlement. I assure you, on my word of honor, that no harm or distress will come to you that is within my power to stop. Isn't that right, men?"_

 _Each one saluted him and Panthro marveled at their unity. His mother looked up at the tall man and said, softly, "Thank you. I can't imagine why you…I mean, I'm grateful of course, but…why?"_

 _"I felt that something terrible was happening and I had the ability to stop it." He shrugged. "I am an impulsive cat I'm afraid. Perhaps your son and I are alike. And I must confess, I cannot stand to hear a lady cry."_

 _Panthro felt odd when he saw his mother's face. It was hopeful, confused…admiring? "Milord I would know your name. And I would like to repay you. I could perhaps clean and cook for your men…"_

 _She would work for men again? Panthro stiffened and the cat felt his head fur bristle. "Don't fear that, young man," he said. Startled that the man knew what he'd thought, Panthro gazed up at him in awe. "You need not repay me, but we would be honored and grateful for your aid if you would give it madam. We are all hopeless with laundry, and if you would grace us with your assistance I should be indebted. And as for my name, it is Lynx-O. A simple name for a simple cat."_

* * *

This would be the first year he couldn't bring chill lilies to her grave. Panthro cursed under his breath as he loaded his supplies in the Thundertank, mentally checking for each item. More blankets and cloaks, Lion-O's was little more than a rag now. Dried rations to last them for weeks just in case, plenty of chemical to ignite fire with. It was derived from Thundrillium and was far more portable than piles of kindling. Water, although as long as there was snow there was water. First aid. Matrae would give them plenty of supplies but Panthro wanted to have an emergency stock. Such generosity was strange in the north, far more common to Thundera where people had plenty.

He would have climbed up the outcrop where the nearest crop of chill lilies grew if only his tail and leg were fully healed. Looking at the nearly vertical slope had been daunting but he'd tried to climb it. Four paces up and his leg had protested, tail stiffening, and he had to sit down before he fell.

He wanted to go and see the grave but at the same time he couldn't go empty-handed. Panthro looked across the desolate land and sighed, climbing into the tank and starting it up. The grave sat atop a hill, and no amount of posturing would get him up it on his limping leg.

* * *

Cheetara busied herself during the trek by telling herself she was going to irritate Panthro if she showed up at the graveyard. It kept her from thinking about the cold. Then she had to stop, for the path was slick with ice and seemed to slant at a ninety degree angle, and it took all her focus to plant her claws in it and drag herself up.

It might have been a cliff if it had only been taller. As it was it only extended up a few stories and she gauged that she would have enough strength to make it up there, in spite of the fact that she'd never climbed much as a child. Compared to the Fel Sea and the tunnels in the cliffs, she supposed this was a walk in a meadow. A really cold meadow.

Panthro wouldn't be able to make it up here. Cheetara gritted her teeth and took to all fours and found purchase in rough ice before she slid back down. "Of course the flowers…couldn't have been transplanted. That would have been…way too easy!"

She felt like a Snarf dangling from a branch. Cheetara gasped when her foot came loose and clenched her fingers, claws digging in. Her descent halted and she scrambled up the wall, suddenly in a frenzy, and hurled herself over the edge and lay panting on the flat expanse.

She thought it like a small mesa, or a lopsided, flat mountain. The path had been worn away by years of ice packing on and sloughing off, and Cheetara glanced down it before sitting up and turning around.

The flowers were dark purple and smelled divinely sweet. Cheetara examined them closely and noticed pale blue thorns growing on the stems. She prodded them carefully and one seemed to stretch and sting at her. She grinned. "Wow. Never seen the like."

The woman had told her exactly what to do. Cheetara raked her claws through the snow, hit frozen earth, and prized the part of the root that was joined to the ground out. The stingers were still and Cheetara dug up a few more in the same way, nestling them safely together. When she'd gathered enough for a small bouquet, she looked down over the edge and sighed.

Then she started the slow, precarious shift down, hoping a snowdrift would catch her if she fell.

* * *

 _Panthro hated Lynx-O for a while._

 _It was not that he was unkind or cruel, or even rude. He was a gentleman in every way and a soldier for the cause of protecting others. Thundera had a good man working for them at their northern outpost._

 _It was his kindness that made Panthro hate him. It was a very different hate from before._

 _He wasn't certain if it was because he could have come sooner and kept his mother from all this in the first place. Or perhaps he felt inadequate in light of the man's strength and wisdom._

 _No, it wasn't any of that. Panthro didn't like Lynx-O because he was jealous._

 _Onca was his mother, and for as long as he could remember, he had been the only man in her life. Naturally the fondness she felt for Lynx-O was not the same as she felt for her son, but it gave him a curious, sharp pain in his chest to know that Lynx-O had done for her what he had not been able to do._

 _She washed clothes, cooked meals, mended torn breeches. None of the men disrespected her in the slightest, thanking her when she surprised them with hot stew and stitched clothing. One cat – he could only have been five years older than Panthro – smiled at her, showing a chipped tooth. "You remind me of my mum. She used to mend the knees on my britches just the same as you."_

 _Panthro got into a fight with him when he shyly brought Onca a sweetmeat he'd made. Rather than getting angry, the cat thumped him soundly and, sporting a gorgeous black eye, offered to teach him how to fight hand to hand in the Thunderan way. Panthro had spat out a tooth and agreed. Onca thought them both crazy and cleaned them up._

 _His name had been Agar, after his jaguar mother._

 _Lynx-O was much worse than a boy who missed his mother. Lynx-O was a man, handsome and near Onca's own age. Panthro was not stupid; he had seen couples in the street court and flirt, and his mother always seemed to tuck her hair more neatly when Lynx-O entered a room in spite of the fact that the lynx was blind. It was long and thick, and fell past her tail when she let it down. She was most pleased when he complimented her work, and looked at him with eyes that Panthro had never seen her give to another._

 _Lynx-O's blind eyes could not return the looks but his smile became warmer and warmer as the days went on. Onca had her own quarters in the outpost and sometimes Panthro would come in to see the two sitting together, talking quietly. He used to go right back out to help soldiers train more, not sure if he felt fury or happiness._

 _When he was thirteen he saw them kiss. Well, Onca kissed Lynx-O on the cheek and he kissed her hand. He was a gentleman._

 _Panthro ran outside and sat in the snow, wrestling with his raging heart. After about fifteen minutes Lynx-O came outside and sat beside him. Panthro's butt was numb but he crossed his arms. Stupid old cat always knew where everyone was. "You saw?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _Lynx-O stared out toward the sun, unblinking. "When I was about your age my mother remarried. My father had died three years before. I hated him too."_

 _'Marriage?' It was worse than he thought. Panthro fought a hot lump in his throat. "You make her happy. I should be glad. Why aren't I glad? Am I that selfish?"_

 _Lynx-O shook his head. "You've never been shown any loyalty by men in your life. You're probably not sure they can give any at all. And it's hard to share one's mother."_

 _Panthro glanced at him. "Do you love her?"_

 _Lynx-O smiled. "Very much. And I love you as well. That is as important to her as anything."_

 _Panthro stared at the ground. "Do I have to call you Dad?"_

 _"No. Lynx-O is fine."_

 _Somehow the hate faded away. It was almost frightening how fast it went. Panthro scowled and glanced at Lynx-O from under his dark hair. "You'd better treat her good. Y'know?"_

 _"I know." He put a big hand on Panthro's head and ruffled his hair. Panthro yowled and tried to push his arm off, stomping back indoors and shaking snow off his pants. Lynx-O laughed and followed him in._

* * *

Panthro stared at the grave for a long time, remembering a youth full of cajoling and anger. He hadn't known at the time that Lynx-O had given all the money he had that day; it had been an inheritance from his father who had died not three months prior. He'd died a fairly poor man, twenty gold to his name. He'd wanted Lynx-O to settle down and have something to help start a family with.

He hadn't known that Onca had fallen so hard and fast that she would have married Lynx-O in three months if it hadn't been for Panthro's surly attitude. Lynx-O had pursued her with kindness and honor, and it had only taken so long – a year – to confess because Lynx-O wanted to have time for him to adjust.

And he hadn't known that his mother had less than two months to live after Lynx-O asked her to marry him. They had never quite understood which disease it was; one of the many, nameless illnesses that filled brothels, carelessly passed to her less than two years ago to hear the Thunderan medic talk. The Imperial City could have given it a name but probably no treatment as far advanced as it had been. She and Lynx-O had never consummated their marriage. She had died without ever knowing the touch of the man she loved. But they had spent time together, the three of them, and he thought she'd been happy.

"Beloved wife and mother" read the small stone. He had carved it himself with Lynx-O's help. The edges were worn but against the ice they stood firm. Dried flowers sat atop it. They would have to stay a year longer.

"Sorry I couldn't get chill lilies this year, Ma. Stinking tail and leg…guess I'm getting old. Older than you were even." Panthro's ear twitched and he turned sharply.

Cheetara froze. Her hair was escaping her hood and besides, he know those little cheetah feet and the sound they made on snow. "What the Ghen are you doing here?"

She had her hands behind her back. "I…well…uh." Sheepishly, she brought her hands around to the front and stood in the snow as if she'd been caught pilfering sweets. Panthro looked at the flowers for a minute in silence. "The florist told me a little. Not a lot. But…I mean, you couldn't get them. And I thought maybe you'd…she'd…you know."

He said nothing. Cheetara pulled down her hood, hair askew and barely contained by the braid at the end. "Well, I feel stupid, but I didn't get them for nothing." She waded through the snow and brushed the worst of the frost off the top of the grave. The blooms were placed on the stone with reverence, setting the dried flowers in front of it. "Um. Is it okay if I pray?"

Panthro continued to stare at her. She shut her eyes and mouthed a quick, quiet prayer. Air whistled through the graveyard, between bent metal fences and dead, frozen pines. Her face was very red when she finished and Panthro turned his head so he wasn't looking at her.

"You didn't have to do that." He heard her shift.

"I know. But you couldn't get them. I could." Cheetara sighed. "I wish you hadn't seen me. I was hoping to beat you here. Because this is really awkward." He glanced at her. "I mean I feel really self-conscious. You've always made it clear that I kind of bug you."

He blinked. His eyes weren't warm and there were no tears. He'd cried when she died but that was all. "Only because you make me think of my Ma. She woulda liked you," he said gruffly.

Cheetara sniffed. Alarmed, he turned to see that her eyes were pink. "That's…the nicest thing you've ever said to me." She rubbed her eyes and he was relieved to see that she wasn't exactly crying, and her nose was running because it was completely frigid outside. Panthro relaxed. Women crying was the worst. He was no good at comforting a crying woman. He could break things, punch them, fix a machine, but fixing an inner hurt was beyond his ken.

"Thanks for getting them. I appreciate it, Cheetara." He stroked the gravestone one more time and grunted. "Come on. Freezing out here. Bum's gone numb."

Cheetara followed him, pulling up her hood. "Can I drive?"

He glared at her. "No."

* * *

Tygra had never seen the like. Panthro had gone out in a mood and Cheetara had taken off in a huff and when the two came back they seemed to be best friends. Well, to be fair, Panthro no longer referred to Cheetara as "girl" and she chattered at him with much more comfort than before. But it felt as if a wall between them had broken.

He and Lion-O exchanged looks and shrugged. Tygra sensed that it was something personal and didn't pry.

Three more days passed and Panthro's tail was removed from the bandaging and he flexed it with relief. "Never going to let my tail get broken again. And no more nannying me." He aimed this at the kittens, who had sneakily been trying to tie a napkin around his neck. They scowled but slumped back into their chairs at his sides and Matrae had laughed.

"I suppose you're going on then?" He looked up from his cup – sweetshrub berry brewed tea with a twist of citrus fruit, the perfect accompaniment to hot cake – and sighed. Matrae held up her hands. "I'm not trying to tell you not to. I just want to make sure so you're prepared."

Tygra drained his cup and set it down. "Did some of the merchants report back then?"

"They couldn't get inside the walls, but they managed to bribe couriers for information. Servants always know where cracks are in the walls." Matrae looked wryly around the table and Lion-O in particular listened closely. "The city of Lune is the largest in the north. It's not the size of Tropo but it's far richer, and the slums more dangerous because of it. Magic is also practiced openly in the streets by the few who have control of it."

Cheetara bristled but said nothing. "The walls were closed a few weeks ago and no one enters or exits. In spite of this I have heard no reports of Mutation running low. This seems to indicate there is a way the materials enter the city if nothing else. I surmise that it would be under the ice." Matrae spoke clearly, each word clipping off the dishes as they were cleared away.

"There have been pathways under the glaciers for a long while. I used to know people who took them to avoid snow storms," Panthro said. "They'll be guarded though."

"Perhaps. I fear that the mutated victims are being herded through the tunnels."

The air seemed to charge, electric. Kit stood up. "Underground? Why there?" she demanded. "Mama always hated tunnels!" Snarf shushed her gently and Matrae looked tender.

"It would be the best way to bring them in a controlled manner. If they are sealed into the tunnels they can only exit if they follow them. The Luna have probably blocked all but a few exits to force the flow into some kind of pen. As for what happens once they reach Lunata…that I have no information on."

Kat stared at the table. "If she hurts Mama or Papa…"

Panthro suddenly put a hand atop the kitten's head. "She'll answer for it," he said lowly. Kat looked up and swallowed, putting a smaller hand atop Panthro's as if seeking solace from it. "I guess the question is should we try to deal with her directly or get to the King's Door first. It might be easier to mend the Sword of Omens and return with a little more…backup." Tygra saw him glance at Lion-O and didn't ask; whatever their secrets were, they hadn't spilled. And he supposed he ought not expect them to tell now.

"A good idea, but unfortunately it would seem that Lunata has control of the area that has been rumored to contain the King's Door." Matrae let her claws set on the table's surface. "Not to mention that for the past year, a storm has raged over the door as if a dark power keeps it in thrall. Lunata or Harbinger, something does not want anyone near it. Even the Luna cannot approach it; they are torn to death by the winds. And a cat would freeze before they got within a league."

Lion-O looked earnestly at her. "So…there's no way to get there?"

She lifted a finger. "One. If the tunnels were open, the winds and worst of the ice could be bypassed. It has been theorized that there is an eye to the storm where the temperature is slightly warmer and the winds are quiet."

"Guess whoever it is doesn't want to damage the door," Cheetara said quietly. "I think it's Lunata doing it. Ice storms…that sounds just like her."

"I agree. In either case, the Mutation and Lunata's power have to be dealt with before one can approach the door." Matrae looked rueful. "This is foolhardy, children."

Tygra put his hands on the table. "Actually, if we can just seal off the tunnels that intersect with the route we'd have to take, it'd be that easy to get to the door. Then we could deal with Lunata with the sword raring to go. We don't have any reason to tangle with Lunata herself just yet."

Lion-O nodded slowly. "We'll free the mutated as soon as we can, but Lunata is not someone to take on without resources. Perhaps we could request aid from the Imperial City once the Sword of Omens is restored. It would be a bad idea to invite war before our greatest weapon is back." He looked at it unhappily, and Tygra supposed it didn't quite have the same gleam as before.

The kittens looked at each other but said nothing. Snarf hopped out of his seat and clambered into Kit's lap to pat her shoulder. "We'll help them as soon as we can. But we can't afford to botch this up."

"We know. Just wish we could help more."

It was decided that they would set out the next day at dawn to give them the advantage of the relative warmth of day. In addition to the supplies Panthro had gathered, Matrae loaded them up with fuel, provisions, medical supplies, and extra clothing. "I've marked the entrances to the tunnel systems on your maps. If I am correct, you will need to seal them off here, here, and here to keep your route smooth." She indicated each place with a claw. "The mutated would not be directed toward the door so it shouldn't be too difficult to get to these places. Hopefully Lunata won't hear of this until it's too late."

She bade them all farewell and Tygra in particular she hugged tightly, planting a kiss on his cheek. He grimaced and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. "Be careful, wild child."

Lion-O looked over the map for a minute, blue eyes trailing up and down the page. They'd entered the data into the Thundertank's navigation system but he looked over the paper all the same. "I just don't know if it'll be that easy. Nothing else has been."

None of them had an answer to that.

* * *

Lion-O had never been in such arctic temperatures – the Imperial City was fairly temperate most of the year – and his fur kept sticking up in an effort to ward off the knifing cold. The smell of frigid air was something he didn't know how to take. It was like pepper in his nose and lungs, and he pulled his hood closer to his head. Then he took his goggles – to be fair they were eye protectors for when the Thundertank's canopy was open, Panthro had a set as well – and put them on to protect his eyes. He waited for the fog in them to fade before stepping out of the Thundertank.

Tygra and Panthro both seemed able to tolerate the endless miles of snow and glacial cliffs around them, but Lion-O looked at the cliffs in despair. Lune sat atop them, a day's drive up the polished, sharp roads, and they had to pass it to get to the tunnel system. It had been dug by snow leopards and panthers, Panthro told him. "To get to Thundrillium they had to mine deep into the glaciers, and they found it was possible to stay warmer out of the elements. The system is pretty nice actually, well marked and documented."

As long as they didn't flood out every night Lion-O didn't care.

They had driven for four hours before the cold seized their joints and demanded that everyone stretch. The kittens stamped and hugged, jumping up and down. "Snarf, come here. The snow's too deep." Snarf obeyed, waddling through the snow and climbing into their arms, squeezed like the filling of a pastry.

"I miss the forest. Our winters were nasty but there was always a nice burrow or nest to get toasty in," he complained. Lion-O nodded behind his face covering. Snowman had been good enough to give them recommendations on what to wear.

"I owe you all a great boon," he'd said, Snowmeow holding his arm with a dazzling smile. "If ever you need a friend in the north, call on me." With the whirl of a cloak he and his daughter had set out for his pastures where hardy shegoats thrived on tundra scrub and dried hay.

It made him glad to see them go. They couldn't help every mutated victim yet, but Lion-O imagined many more stories like that and felt encouraged.

Cheetara was suddenly beside him, shuddering. "Why does anyone live here?" she demanded, as if it had been his idea.

"No clue," he said, voice muffled behind the covering. Along with keeping his face warm, it concealed his coloration, key to keeping a low profile. Cheetara's lips were dark red and she huddled close to him. Her scarf whipped his face as she tucked against his side. "I guess we're just not built for it."

"Cheetahs especially." Panthro almost sounded sympathetic. "They're built for grass and speed, not enduring cold. Not enough fur or fat, either one."

Lion-O tucked one cloaked and sweater clad arm around her shoulders. "Let's just go. I still can't see the city from here."

The snow was ankle deep but the road kept clear. It was made of dark blue stone and ice seemed not to collect on it as quickly. Even Luna feared slick paths it would seem. Cheetara ushered the kittens back into the tank and hauled Snarf in with her.

The wind blew hard and her scarf came loose. Lion-O saw the bright yellow cloth spiral through the air and land forty paces beyond the road. "Hang on, I'll get it."

"I can do it, it's fine," she called. He shook his head and trudged out after it. The ground was hilly here, rocks spotting in the snow and making the previously flawless surface uneven and lumpy. He scooped up the scarf and shook the snow from it, hands aching under his gloves.

His ears pricked. A soft crying sound came from close by. He turned around and spotted a figure sitting on a nearby rock as if it were a bench, face buried in their hands. It sounded like a woman. Lion-O paused before glancing back at the others. They hadn't seen her but Tygra was headed his way.

"Excuse me. Are you okay?" No snow fell but the wind was loud, whistling in the crags, and she didn't act as if she'd heard him. It was a Luna he realized; her skin was pale blue and her long, lush hair was pure white. Pale silk and furs covered her and two long horns curled back over her skull. "Miss?"

She didn't look up. "I'm stuck here! I'm hurt and I can't get to Lune!"

Lion-O approached a few steps. She was close now, close enough that he saw her shoulders bobbing. Suddenly he felt very strange, uncertain. What was this woman doing down here alone anyway? "What was injured? Were you with a group?"

"I w-was. But I haven't seen them. Th-They thought it funny to l-leave me here when I twisted my ankle." He'd heard noblewomen cry false tears before and he cocked his head, pushing back his goggles to see her more clearly.

"Maybe we can help?" he asked slowly. She lowered her hands. Her nails were long and curved like diamond claws.

"That would be very kind of you. I just don't know what to do." She sniffled one more time as he stopped in front of her and offered her a hand to help her up. The snow crunched as she stood up and lifted her eyes. She was a pretty thing but her eyes…the whites were barely there, violets and blues swimming deep under her frothy bangs. She blinked at him and her soft, high voice suddenly shifted.

"Ooh, the pictures don't do you justice babe. I'm glad Mama sent me to get you personally." Her grin became wicked and the Sword of Omens – so still before – flared exhaustedly in warning.

Lion-O jumped back. "It's a trick! Move, move!" he yelled. Tygra snapped like a firecracker into a defensive stance and Cheetara jumped from the tank when he called, but it was too late. Six ice creatures – the glassy little puppets without faces – crawled from behind the rock the Luna had been sitting on and ten more beyond the rock beside it. Like ants on sugar they crossed the snow, needle-sharp legs pricking tiny holes in the white surface.

The Luna grinned and lifted her hands. The temperature dropped and snow roared from her hands as if she'd formed a storm between them. Lion-O flew backwards from the force, pulling out the Sword of Omens as he went. He heard the Thundertank roar and remembered the weapons they had installed. Time to see if they worked.

Tygra cracked his whip and flames licked along the cord. He grinned. "Mom always did get me the best toys." He couldn't move as neatly due to his thick clothing but he was spry enough to whirl and snap one of the icy creatures across the face and another in the torso. They hissed and steamed, heads melting under the heated strike. Lion-O took a vial from his belt and poured it generously over his blade, and with a snap Tygra set it alight, oil popping. Three icy beings fell, the sword passing through them like they were made of butter. It was satisfying to see them fall.

Cheetara was there faster than he would have imagined in the cold, building the charge in her staff and plunging it into the clinking bodies. And the Thundertank was right behind her.

They jumped clear and plumes of flame shot from the front cannons, torching twenty of the puppets. They made no sound save the hiss of water turning to steam and Tygra whooped. "That's more like it!" All the work they'd put in shifting the fuel tanks had been worth it.

Lion-O grinned but it faded quickly. The Luna was smiling, silken gown caught in a twisting breeze and blowing it around her as thirty more of the creatures crawled forward, peering out from behind boulders. Some of them were larger and had rough faces carved into the crystalline heads.

Lion-O didn't remember fighting for long. He swung and ducked and whirled, taking out about a dozen before his arm caught. He looked down, surprised to see a cord wrapped around his wrist. It looked like spider silk, glittering like ice. With a hard tug he broke it and realized one of the larger ice creatures had hurled it at him. He drove the blade into its heart, jumping back when another tried the same move.

His mind moved quickly, remembering what the Luna had said. "Guys, this is a capture mission! Retreat!"

Tygra snapped the head off one more beast before acknowledging. "Into the tank! Now!"

Cheetara was nearly stabbed by one of the sharp arms but she ducked and kicked the creature aside. The moment distracted him for a split second as the sharp edge came within an inch of her side.

He felt another cord around his arm and pulled hard. It didn't break this time, but it dragged the mannequin forward. Lion-O tried to cut it with the Sword of Omens but felt weight holding his swing; another cord was around that wrist.

It made sense very quickly. They weren't after the group. They were after him.

Lion-O snarled and pulled hard again, hurling one puppet in a rock. It shattered but another grabbed the cord it had lost and fired one of its own. Its icy arm morphed into string and wrapped around his upper arm like a snake, alive; it would have been amazing in another situation. Lion-O was caught between two of the creatures and couldn't move toward either one.

Tygra's eyes darkened and he plunged toward the puppets, but three smaller ones mobbed him, needling his back. He had to stop and buck them off, and Lion-O felt two more threads - one around his arm and another around his leg this time. Heart racing, he tried once more to free his sword arm and failed, unable to pull free of two.

Cheetara managed to kill one of the puppets and turned to the second when the Luna woman entered the fray. The air blurred with snow and the Luna grinned widely as she turned and dealt Cheetara a savage kick in the stomach. Cheetara gasped and fell back and her head connected with one of the boulders.

She fell into the snow and didn't move, and Lion-O screamed, twisting and snapping at the cords with his teeth.

Tygra could not deal with ten of the puppets at once and was shifting back, eyes dancing for an opening to attack; the fires were sputtering, dying, and Lion-O heard the rattle of ice against the Thundertank. They had mobbed it as well, pinning the hatch closed with their bodies.

The puppets sprinted around him and Lion-O's breath was cut from his body as they pulled the cords taut around him. They swarmed close and one of the bigger ones struck him in the back of the head.

Lion-O became blearily aware of lying in the snow and the whirling flakes in the air above him. The ropes were tight; he couldn't move. The Sword of Omens…where was it? An indentation in the snow marked its place. A cool gloved hand plucked it deftly as a flower from the ground.

The Luna smiled at him coyly. "Love your hair."

* * *

Cheetara's ears were ringing. It was a dull melody, muffled by the roar of wind, and moving made her head feel like it was splitting.

Her head had not split open. It could not have because she'd be dead. The clink of puppets made her push up on her hands and knees, vision doubling as the glassy figures ran. Tygra…three of them had pinned him down but now they ran, leaving him spitting snow. Panthro burst from the Thundertank and sent eight of the tiny bodies flying. And Lion-O was…?

She finally focused. The Luna woman had power in her, for she twisted a hand gracefully and ten of the ice creatures collided and reshaped into what looked like a diamond bird. And bound tightly beside her was-

Cheetara lurched to her feet as the woman mounted the bird and it silently took to the air. She was the fastest woman alive, her parents said, but in spite of that there was ice and snow and her head felt like it was going to fall off, and there was every chance she wouldn't reach-

The icy talons fixed around Lion-O – he didn't move, he was hurt, of course they'd been after him – and bore him up like prey. His red ponytail whipped in the air as if giving her a forlorn wave goodbye. Cheetara jumped, nearly snagged the edge of his cloak.

She fell back to the ground, shrieking in rage and agony as her head pulsed. The Luna waggled her fingers in a taunting wave and giggled as she shrank away. A glint of silver in her hands told Cheetara where the Sword of Omens was.

It took a few minutes after the bird had disappeared up the cliffs to finally move. Cheetara felt her head and noted the lump on it; good sign, swelling outside rather than inside. She rolled onto all fours and pushed to her feet very slowly.

Tygra had a cut lip and several scratches but he seemed mostly unharmed. He was staring into the sky in the direction the Luna witch had gone, face turning scarlet under his white fur. The snow had disappeared, petering away without black magic to hold it.

Panthro reached her as she gained her feet. She smelled anger on him and realized that some of it was coming from the kittens and Snarf. Kat and Kit were hollering after the bird fruitlessly, screaming their lungs out, and Snarf was a puffball of stiff fur.

"I guess we're going for Lunata after all," Tygra said at last. Panthro nodded and the kittens' eyes flashed.

Cheetara took Snarf into her arms. "She just made some very dangerous enemies," she said softly. Snarf growled in agreement.

In less than a minute the Thundertank was plowing up snow and zooming up the road, engine loud and hot as the blood in the ears of the cats inside it.

* * *

Chilla sauntered into the war chamber with Lion-O being carried by a greater mannequin. She smiled brightly at her mother, who watched in silence from her chair. "Mission successful, mother. I like these bigger mannequins, they're much more useful than the little ones." She turned back to face it, eying their prize gleefully. His head hung back limply and his red hair spilled over the ice arm. "I'll take him now though. Oh mother, do tell me I can keep him!"

Lunata approached and took the Sword of Omens from Chilla, who relinquished it gladly so she could steal her mother's chair. The mannequin obediently placed Lion-O on the floor in front of her. She waved it away. "Shocking, isn't it? The youngest and most immature of all your children was successful. Amazing!" She leaned forward and traced her thumb down the side of his cheek. "The fur here is softer."

"Don't manhandle the hostage." Lunata seemed to come to life again and raised a hand and uttered a black word. Two icicles speared up from the floor and two from the ceiling, perfect in their uniformity. A chain hung from each one. "Lock his wrists."

Chilla blinked. Then she pouted. "Mother, do I have to?"

Lunata shot her a look. Chilla had seen that look shortly before a Luna was dashed against stone and his skull shattered. In spite of herself she shivered and obeyed. She undid the cords and put an arm around his waist, pulling him into a sitting position. His body was warm; she marveled at it and wished mother wasn't such a killjoy.

Lion-O didn't wake up as his wrists were locked in place, nor when the lower set of chains were applied to his ankles. He hung there in silence, lips parted slightly as if in discomfort. His tail dangled above the floor. Chilla sighed. "Are you going to torture him?"

"Perhaps. I've not decided." Lunata had returned her attention to the Sword of Omens, staring down at it hungrily. "Watch him. Tell me when he wakes up. I wish to speak to him. And for Lune's sake, don't tell him anything!"

Chilla made herself comfortable in her mother's high-backed chair again. When Lunata left she allowed herself to look the captive over. She had always liked pretty boys but this one…he was different. Forbidden, perhaps. Anyone else she could have wanted would have been hers, but not this one. Therefore he was the most interesting.

And he had red hair. By the ice of the moons, she loved red hair.

She'd studied the notes about him before staging the ambush. He often stopped to help those in trouble, and he'd played right into her hands. The cool lantern light played over his fur and picked out glints of gold and bronze.

The look she gave him was as hungry as the one Lunata had given the Sword of Omens. "I hope you wake up soon, Lion-O. I look forward to talking to you."

She leaned crossways in the chair, lounging in her mother's war chair, and rested her head on her hand to wait.

* * *

 _End of Episode 17_


	18. Chapter 18

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

Readers have our apologies for the lateness of this chapter. Life intervened, as it tends to do.

* * *

 **Episode 18**

 **Interrogation**

* * *

Lion-O's mind moved as if in a fog. It spiraled slowly, up from unconsciousness in lazy arcs, until at least he was awake enough to pick up a few things about his surroundings without opening his eyes.

First off, he was cold. Very cold. Not surprising.

Secondly, his arms hurt. Very much. That was a little surprising.

Lion-O recalled being in the snow and seeing a woman. She had been crying. He had been going to fetch…Cheetara's scarf, that was it. It had drifted away when they'd been attacked.

He'd been abducted.

Lion-O jerked and his feet found support on the floor. He opened his eyes wide and looked around. Manacles made of black ice were fixed around his wrists and ankles, and as he supported his weight with his legs his shoulders screamed with relief. How long had he been dangling here?

Immediately he tested his bonds, seeing if he could pull in one direction or the other. Each chain had an inch of slack, no more.

Lion-O willed his heart to slow down. He'd been kidnapped for some reason, but panicking wasn't going to help. He scanned the room and saw angular crystal all around…no, ice. Ice so perfect it could have been glass. His posts looked like great icicles spearing up from the ground and down from the ceiling and he wondered if whoever had sent the creatures had made them. If they could control the ice to build this, surely a set of bonds was nothing.

His heart stopped. Where was the sword? Lion-O twisted, spying what looked like a long table set with a world map behind him – he just caught a glimpse as he turned his head – and focused on the great chair in front of him. This was someone's war room.

He jerked back. Someone was sitting in it, watching him.

Perhaps not sitting; lounging was better. Her pretty form lay crossways in the seat, head propped on her hand and knees draped sensually over the arm rest. It was the same Luna that had been in the snow. She'd left off her false tears and a mocking smile rested in their place. Lion-O narrowed his eyes.

"Taking advantage of someone's attempt to help. You must work for Lunata."

Her pearly teeth were revealed as she smiled wider. "What makes you think I'm not Lunata?"

"I've seen a picture or two. She's rather more advanced in years." She couldn't be even as old as he was he noted, perhaps a year younger. Not that her figure said any such thing. Something in her eyes, a gleeful mischief like a child, glittered back at him and made him thing of someone that hadn't grown up. She made him think of something sweet that had spoiled. "So who are you then? A daughter?"

"Her youngest. Chilla. And also her apprentice." The woman stood up and offered a hand. Lion-O wasn't certain if it was a joke at his expense, but he kept his eyes on her as he managed to plant a slight kiss on it, middle knuckle of the middle finger.

Her eyes lit up, thrilled. "How civil. I like you, pretty boy."

He had no response to that. This girl was dangerous, however innocently silly she appeared now, and he glanced around. There were other doors around the edge of the room and beautiful pillars to support its ceiling. There were maps as well on the walls, and Lion-O noticed that the colors blue and violet seemed predominant. Violet curtains, blue tinged lanterns, dark blue carpets with lilac trimming, they all made the room seem even colder.

Lion-O shivered and realized that his cloak and sweater were gone, leaving only his shirt and armor. Had he been searched? He gave the girl a suspicious look but she didn't seem to notice, eyes disappointed. "I suppose I should go get her. She told me to."

"Don't bother. I could hear you squealing from rooms away." Lion-O lifted his head and laid eyes on Mama Luna for the first time.

She was much shorter than he'd expected with a pronounced stoop to her shoulders. Her head might have come to his chest. Her hair was long and thick and she wore dark lipstick, but the years had left no beauty to her. Her face was like a cliff, unforgiving and ragged, and her eyes were piercing. She shuffled into the room and shooed Chilla away from her chair. She wasn't nearly so imposing as he might have expected. "Welcome to Lune's Palace of the Moon. I don't suppose you've heard of it?"

Lunata was pretending not to pay attention but Lion-O sensed a calculating spirit under her disinterest. She wanted to know what he knew. Where he came from. Lion-O shifted in his bonds and replied, "I think everyone has heard of the Palace. It's where the government of Lune convenes. Or at least, it used to be."

She smiled dryly. "Perceptive. You don't have to be vague, Lion-O. You're not a fool – leastwise, not in some things."

Lion-O wasn't alarmed. She knew his name, that was to be expected. "And you are Lunata…or Mama Luna I suppose. But I think Lunata would be more civil."

"Ah, my children call me what they will. But you…I don't know quite what to make of you. Bearing the Sword of Omens to the King's Door to restore its power, in spite of the Harbinger being there…why? What fool would go on a king's errand?"

Lion-O smiled. The cold was making him feel ill. "A king's servant with more courage than brains."

Lunata shrugged. "Especially considering the Sword of Omens is all but dead." She withdrew the shortened blade from one long, drooping sleeve and Lion-O's hands clenched. So she had it after all. "If it were at its full power it would burn the hand of a witch." She put it away again. "Now tell me who you really are."

He remained silent. Her wrinkled, squat face became bored. "I'll ask once more. If you don't tell me I'll leave you in here for six hours and ask you again. I will continue doing this until you tell me what I want to know."

Lion-O tried not to shiver but the air was so chill, so still. "I'll die of hypothermia. You won't find out anything."

"Unlikely. I know the temperatures a mammal can survive in…if just barely." She showed him her old, pale teeth. "If you change your mind call for the guard. Chilla, come along."

The girl paused long enough to skirt against his side and toy with his ponytail before flouncing after Lunata, whose face darkened. "I told you not to touch him."

He couldn't hear the reply but the sound of a flat hand on a cheek reached him before the door slammed closed and left him in utter silence.

Would he talk? If he were starving and sick and dying, would he tell her what she wanted to know? What if he couldn't help it, if his mind turned off and his mouth turned on? Or what if it turned to torture? Would he be able to bear up? Lion-O's heart was racing again and he tried to free his hands and feet.

No luck. Even though they were ice they would not budge or melt, and he sank into them miserably. "I won't talk. I won't." He thought of the others and, realizing they must have gotten away, a kernel of hope burned in his chest. If they could infiltrate Lune, maybe they could recover the Sword of Omens. And him.

* * *

Cheetara hated Lune the second they hit the wall.

No question about it, the wall was beautiful and forbidding. The Luna favored angles, precision, and opulence reflected in every beam of light that bounced off the wall. The path led up into the face of it, a guarded opening, and Cheetara could see that the city of Lune rested on what reminded her of a mountain. The streets and buildings were distorted through the crystalline structure. "They carved it from the ice and stone of this mountain," Panthro said. "Their proximity to Thundrillium makes it easy for them to get fuel, not to mention the magic that runs through the blood of their nobility. They're advanced and dangerous."

Tygra watched the arched entry with calm eyes. "So. How to get in?"

Cheetara watched for five minutes and saw no one go in or out. The Luna standing guard never moved an inch, paying them no attention as they examined the gate. After some thought Cheetara approached one of them. "Excuse me? Hello?"

His eyes ticked a millimeter to look at her. "Is there any way to apply for a permit to trade within Lune? I know things are kind of bad right now with trade, but-"

"Get away from the gate or I'll be forced to arrest you." He said nothing else and Cheetara – face still covered – turned around and returned to the others.

"We're not getting in that way," she said quietly, and with that they got in the Thundertank and moved back, out of the line of vision of the guards. Within the tank it was a little warmer but Cheetara couldn't help but look at Lion-O's pack sitting in the back and wish she could go tearing through the gate, destroying everything in her path. Except kids and pets. She'd grab all of them up and take them somewhere else, somewhere that didn't let off a pervading, sinister wave when she looked at it.

"There has to be a way in. Supplies are coming in and out, Lune is still thriving. You can tell by the noise. But if the mutated are going through the tunnels, they can't be the only route." Tygra rubbed his forehead, thinking hard. "How long would it have taken them to make more tunnels?"

"Depends. If it's through stone, longer. Ice would be easy to bore through, but it wouldn't be very stable," Panthro said.

"Unless that Lunata lady used magic," Kit said. "She could have used magic to make new tunnels or something. If she made that big storm before, she could make a hole in the ground."

"Or make the ice stronger," Kat agreed.

Snarf was sitting on Panthro's knee so he was up a little higher than the kittens' laps. "We need to find couriers, servants. Luna outside the walls. If we watch them we can find out how they get inside. But we can't let anyone know we're watching."

Panthro lowered his head. "Time is of the essence. They might hurt Lion-O to try to get information out of him, and if they find out he won't give them any…"

Cheetara glowered. Her chest felt tight and her blood scalded in her ears. "Let's set up watch."

The tank was covered in snow and rock until it looked roughly like a piece of the landscape. If any Luna came up to the city from the path they would see them from their vantage point. Then everyone piled inside to wait.

It nearly killed her to sit around staring through the strategic gaps. Lion-O had been taken and might, even now, be suffering some torture or interrogation. Certainly bad things had happened – he'd nearly drowned, he'd had to kill Nfumu – but at least none of them had been alone then. Lion-O was gone, and if they couldn't get him back-

Cheetara tried not to think about it. The tank felt smaller and emptier without him. But they would get him back, she told herself. He was smart and tough, and he could deal with whatever these Luna could throw.

The wicked grin of the young Luna woman swam before her eyes and Cheetara wished she could have at least knocked a few of her teeth out. She remembered telling Lion-O his good nature was a strength and a weakness – had it really only been a few weeks? It felt like years – and tried not to imagine him in pain. Her mind drew up a horrifying image of him lying on the icy ground, stone still, ice forming in his fur because the Luna woman had killed-

"Cheetara. Look." She snapped her head up at Tygra's voice. He was pointing through the glass and she could see what looked like a pair of Luna trudging off the path, into the snow. She met his glance and nodded.

Tygra climbed out, invisible, and slunk after the pair. Footprints marked his presence but in the crunch of their own steps the Luna would never hear him following. Cheetara waited, the silence pressing on her ears, and she didn't breathe feely until the hatch rattled and Tygra dropped in, covered in dusty snow. "We've got a servant's entrance," he said with a sharp grin.

It was concealed by the foundation of the wall, a hairline crack that no one could possibly have seen without being shown. Tygra ran his claws over it, finding a latch, and pulling hard. The door slid down and a cool, quiet chute lay open beneath them. They took their packs and antimutagen, not to mention a certain amount of gold – currency could open doors anywhere – and concealed the tank more securely.

Then each of them slipped into the chute, into the dark.

Cheetara landed in a soft pile of snow and instantly shifted back, behind a corner, into the shadows. Tygra was next with Snarf on his shoulder, but he came down invisible and it was only when the snow scattered that she knew he'd hit. She beckoned to him and he took to the corner with her.

Panthro came last as he made the greatest noise, but as Cheetara looked around she saw no one coming. It looked like a storage room piled with boxes and crates and the walls were made of metal, floor covered in snow to cushion landings. She gazed at it for a while, realizing that as cold as the air and the Luna were, it had probably been here for years without melting. Footprints marred every inch and some of the boxes looked as if they'd fused to each other with ice and age.

The door was unlocked and Cheetara made sure her face and hair were hidden as they stepped into the sunlight. Panthro guided them all into an alley so no one would see them and they hunkered down, breathless.

They were in Lune. Good so far. Cheetara looked at the kittens and wished they were still with Matrae. She had wanted them to stay but the last thing they needed was for the children to try following them in the ice. Which, they had assured her, they would.

"Wow. Look at it. It's actually pretty," Kat mumbled.

The street looked like perfectly carved cobblestones, made of the blue material that had made up the path. Ice didn't collect on it, and a few dozen Luna were walking the street, mixed with a few cats and dogs. There wasn't a reptile to be seen anywhere. A little Luna boy with skin the color of a purple evening sky skipped by, white hair ruffling as his mother – flesh pale blue – tugged his hand gently. Both were dressed well, in draping, elegant styles favored in the north. "Why does he have horns?" Kit asked.

"Some Luna have horns and some don't. It's a genetic trait. Like…if you can roll your tongue or not. It's a dominant trait; his dad probably has horns," Tygra explained. Both kittens looked intrigued and tried rolling their tongues. As it turned out only Kit was able to.

The buildings seemed forbidding with their beauty, stones and ice building up each of them. There were some walls where the ice seemed to have patterns embedded, making the insides fuzzy enough that Cheetara couldn't make out the people. Blurs of movement told her they were occupied. "How do we go about finding Lion-O?" she asked.

Panthro grunted. "I think it's more a question of how do we get in there?" He pointed up, over the roofs, and Cheetara felt weak; a great palace loomed over the city, spearing and sharp and pointed straight up. Moons rested atop the tallest spires; a sliver on one, a half on another, and a whole orb atop the greatest of all. "That's going to be guarded."

Tygra crossed his arms. "Well, best I can figure is we find Lunata's enemies, see if some of them are decent folks, and enlist their help. And being the lady in charge, I bet she has a very certain place she puts people that disagree with her."

Cheetara nodded slowly. "So…we're looking for-"

"Yep. The good old slammer." Tygra leaned on the nearest wall, chewing his lip. "I say we pretend to be mercenaries. Cats up north are usually mercenaries. Might not give us much clout though."

Panthro suddenly snapped his fingers. "No. Y'know what? I think I've got an idea. There's one type of cat up here that's never a mercenary, only a trader. And everyone panders to 'em because they own Thundrillium mines."

He glanced at his arm and Cheetara nodded. "All right. First off, get some cloth. Second, we find a jail where enemies of the state are held." Panthro looked uneasy and she said, "If we're going pass you off as an important merchant, you've got to look the part."

He nodded but crossed his arms. "We just need to hurry." He looked up at the palace again and Cheetara followed his gaze, willing herself not to wonder what was happening.

* * *

The worst part was the cold. The second worst part was the boredom.

The pain in his arms was almost gone due to how numb he was, but there was no way to numb the stagnant air and silence of the room. Lion-O had tried wrapped his fingers around one of the chains to melt it but it merely burned cold against his skin, freezing the warm flesh. He'd let go and tried scraping at it with his claws. No chinks formed and at last he gave up.

Lunata was true to her word, or so he supposed. It felt like six hours when she came in. Chilla was behind her, wearing a rather more form-fitting gown than before. She walked with an extra bounce in her step, twirling a finger in her long, silky hair. Lion-O kept his eyes on the old woman, pointedly ignoring Chilla. "I don't suppose you want to talk yet," she said conversationally.

"No. Not particularly." Lion-O ignored Chilla as she slid in close.

Lunata seemed a little amused. "If I sent a message to the Imperial City that I had you as a hostage I daresay I would get some information. You know I'll find out what I want sooner or later."

Lion-O had thought about that. He shrugged with difficulty. "Sure, they'll tell you all sorts of important information for the sake of a repair boy."

"You and I both know there's more to this than that. Just what else there is what I'm wondering. And at any rate, they'll want the blade back even if you're as worthless as you say." Lunata glanced at the Sword of Omens. "You know, I really do want to save the planet. I don't have any qualms about sharing information with you if you want to share it in return."

Lion-O weighed the value of playing dumb and decided it wasn't worth it. "Yes, use the mutated to make an army, then use their souls to control the Harbinger."

Her eyes were wry. She tapped her chin with a wrinkled finger. "You know, I'm not going to throw the mutated against the Harbinger like a handful of stones. I intend to conquer the planet with them so I can claim what I need to stop the demon. The mutated left over will be used to power my spell. If the other kingdoms wanted to work with me, this could actually be very peacefully done."

"Said every dictator ever," Lion-O said coolly. She scowled at him but Chilla's eyes sparkled with amusement. "What kind of things could be used to control a demon?"

"Tell me who you are and I'll return the favor." Her hair was thick around her short horns and Lion-O watched it drift as she turned around. A guard was standing in the doorway. "What?"

"Amok is here. He…brought you something." The guard looked dapper and exasperated. Lunata sighed and gestured for him to let Amok in. Lion-O watched as the great, hulking shape entered the room and his breath caught in his throat.

The great long scratch he'd given him had been wrapped in a bandage, but instead of looking like it was healing, the cool skin was inflamed to pink around it. He held his arm close to his front, whimpering, and in his other arm he held a basket filled with what looked like hardy, frosty weeds. He blinked stupidly at Lion-O before turning to Lunata. "Mama. Amok bring flowers. See?" He hopefully offered her the basket.

She never looked at them. "Why are you here? I gave you instructions." He lowered the basket and looked ashamed.

"Mama, don't like the sentries. They call Amok bad things. Amok fill weapons but they say Amok stupid…" he began. She struck him and he recoiled like a bull before a bee.

"You get up there and assist them. I don't care what they call you, you are to help them. And that bandage isn't coming off for another week," she said darkly. Amok lowered his head and whimpered. "Don't give me that! Get out, now!"

She kicked the basket of weeds aside and Lion-O stared as Amok waddled off, Chilla holding back fits of laughter as the leaves scattered. When Amok left Lion-O gave Lunata a look. "…You couldn't have pretended to like them?"

Lunata seemed legitimately surprised. "Why should I? I'm not his mother, I'm his creator. Same for Tug-Mug and Alluro." Lion-O straightened in alarm and she sighed. "You didn't honestly think I was their tender mother? I'll admit I contributed genetic material, but Amok was bred by introducing Giantor DNA to Luna DNA. An interesting, brutish result. Red-Eye was the source of genetic material for Tug-Mug and Alluro but I dandled none of the wretches." Lunata gazed at the wall. "I don't know why I keep him around."

Lion-O turned his eyes to Chilla, who was tittering. "You find that funny?" he asked quietly. "I'll bet you don't like it when she smacks you around." Her amusement subsided but she shrugged. "So are you her daughter? Really I mean?"

"Of course. The only one." She twirled in place and Lunata's eyes flickered. Lion-O said nothing and his pity for the cruel young woman increased. "Tug-Mug is the oldest, then Alluro. Then it's Amok, and I was born after his experiment was finished."

Lion-O weighed his words. "So you were the only one delivered naturally. The others…?"

"Test tube babies." Chilla smiled at her mother. "Don't know if she actually did the deed with Red-Eye or not, might have been someone else. Right Mummy?"

Lunata ignored her. "Another six hours and I'll return." She gestured to her daughter and Chilla reluctantly followed. Lion-O gazed after them as the door shut and he shifted as much as he could.

What kind of woman was this? Using her own genetic material to create experimental children? And what had she done to Amok's wound? What would irritate a Luna's skin like that? Other than salt of course…

Lion-O jerked at his chains. Surely not. She wouldn't have put salt in the wound? As punishment for failure? He thought of the way Amok had cried for his mother and suddenly hated her more than before in the quiet, frigid room.

* * *

It had been some time since a panther had come to Lune.

Flayk had dealt with them before of course, and no shortage of other, peculiar merchants. The most interesting had been a lizard from the desert that had managed to survive in the icy clime by taking metal bowls, arranging them around himself like a chandelier, dangling from straps, and filled them with burning coals. It had been a profitable exchange, for they had jewels buried in the rich deposits of the Acame Desert of the east.

He'd also paid mercenaries to kill him and steal the mineral rights from his belongings. Flayk received nice sums as time passed, every quarter.

But a panther was not someone to sic common thugs on. They were a particularly feared breed of cat – second only perhaps to lions due to the latter's political power – because of their ruthlessness, strength, and long memory. Burn a bridge with a panther and you might come to regret it sixty years later.

Flayk's skin and hair were both the palest blue, nearly white, and his eyes were dark and unreadable as gray glaciers. He smiled pleasantly from his desk – carved from stone and ornamented with ice sculptures – and gestured to the seat in front of him. "Welcome, welcome. Friend, can I fetch you a goblet of iceshine, or a piece of snow nougat?"

"No thank you." The merchant sat down and Flayk realized just how big he was. The man didn't wear silk but rather black common cloth, but that wasn't so unusual. Panthers didn't flaunt their wealth. His eyes were piercing, mistrustful, and Flayk settled into his chair more comfortably. "I don't like to mince words. I have some work I need done and I think you can provide the labor."

Flayk coughed delicately. "Well, it is true I could see to it that…economical labor be provided." He was, after all, the prison warden's brother-in-law. It was no secret. Best decision he'd ever made had been to urge his sister into marrying the man. She seemed happy, so all the better. "I have connections with a few sources. How many were you interested in?"

"That depends on the men. I would need to inspect them. You understand. With such products one has to have a certain touch." Thundrillium could be fickle, indeed. Flayk mused quietly on this. Mining it could be difficult.

"I suppose that's true. Are you sure prisoners would be the best source of labor for this? Perhaps someone more reputable might be ideal."

"I can teach them what they need to know, if they can be taught. And like you said, they're economical." The panther inspected his claws. They were long and sharp. "So what's the answer?"

"Ah. Fine. I charge one hundred gold for the services." Flayk ordinarily charged two hundred fifty, but being on good terms with a Thundrillium merchant was a wise investment. The cat took out a small bag and Flayk grimaced.

"Twenty percent down. The rest will be paid after I pick out the men." This was not a man to argue with and Flayk sighed.

"Done and done. I'll call my contact after you leave. How does high noon tomorrow sound?"

"Six in the morning." Flayk blinked but nodded, shaking the panther's hand. It was huge, crushing, and the Luna winced. "I don't like dawdling."

"I'm sure you don't sir. Not when there's business to be done." He waited until the panther left to shake out his hand. It didn't bother him that he didn't even know the man's name. There was less liability under the laws of Lune when a Luna could plead ignorance.

Didn't matter whether the prisoners came back or not. Gold was gold, whatever kind of insignia was on it. The coins were a mixture – some Tropo, some Imperial money, and others. Everyone bought Thundrillium he knew.

Flayk tucked the bag into his desk and opened his messenger to place a call.

* * *

Panthro stepped outside and heard Cheetara's quick, chilly breath. "We're in. He wanted us to meet at the prison at noon but I said six in the morning." He looked around. The twins were bundled together in a blanket over their winter clothes, looking snug, and Snarf was squished between them. "Where's Tygra?"

"Getting the money back." Tygra reappeared with the pouch at his belt full. "I put coppers in the bag. He won't bother counting twenty gold again, he'll be waiting for his big payout. I'm not putting that much gold in a thieving pocket."

"That's still a while before we can even try to get to Lion-O." Cheetara held her breath and then came close to Panthro under the pretense of straightening the stitches. They weren't perfect anyway. "What do you think they'll do to him?" she asked softly.

Panthro shrugged. "They won't kill him. And I don't think they'd jump straight to full on torture. Not their style. They'll deprive him of most food and water probably, but they'll keep him alive."

Cheetara's fists clenched. "All we can do is wait?"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "For right now, yes." She looked toward the palace and crossed her arms.

"How are we going to convince them to help us? The prisoners?"

He rubbed his chin. "Don't fret on that part. Just be ready to move tomorrow. We can't let Flayk get away once we do our bit."

* * *

Lion-O didn't look up immediately when the door opened again. It was tiring standing in place like this, for if he dangled in place his arms would be pulled from their sockets. He refused to acknowledge his hunger, but the thirst was burning. Twelve hours…no, longer than that, since he hadn't eaten or drank anything before then for a while. He finally lifted his head.

Chilla. She had a small bowl in her left hand and a smile on her face. Amok lurked quietly behind her like a beaten dog. "Are you thinking about telling us what we want to know?" She shook the bow slightly and a single drop of water hit the ground. Lion-O shut his eyes.

"You'll have to give me some kind of water if you want to keep me alive to interrogate. Otherwise I'll die. Lunata's no fool." He opened one eye. "Or are you here on your own?"

She sighed. "On orders, I'm afraid. I was told not to give you any unless you wanted to talk. After all, you mammals can make it…what, four days without water? And I was to see if you need the restroom."

He stared at her. "What? Mother doesn't like a mess on the floor," she said defensively.

"…Yes, I suppose." Lion-O wondered if they would unchain him but was disappointed as Chilla touched the ice manacles at his wrists and they drew together, fusing. The chains wrapped around them and he lowered his arms, bending his elbows with relief. His ankles were unlocked altogether. Before he could consider making a run for it his legs gave out and he tumbled forward. It hurt to push himself back up and his muscles seized.

Chilla helped him up – her hand drifted to his lower back, far too close to his tail to be polite – and he forced himself to stand. "Thank you," he said stiffly. She looked pleased with herself and took hold of his arm and led him into the hall to a small room.

"Amok's been told to break your legs if you try to run." It was a small bathroom with the required amenities, and she leaned on the doorframe as if to watch. Lion-O glared at her. "What?"

"Don't play dumb."

She rolled her eyes and turned away. "Fine, Amok, stand guard."

It was a form of torture in itself, this momentary relief. Lion-O's arms hurt far worse after he was chained in again, revived by their brief rest. "You could just be confined to a room if you wanted to talk," Chilla said. "There would be bread and water, and even some blankets. You're putting yourself through this."

He turned his head away. Amok suddenly whimpered and Lion-O looked up to see him peeking under the bandage. Chilla bared her teeth. "Mama said not to touch it!"

Lion-O saw crystals of rock salt imbedded in the skin before Amok covered it again and suddenly was struck by such sorrow for the creature that he felt sick. "Why do you let her do this? What reason is there for her torturing him?" he asked.

Chilla shrugged. "It's how she is. He's like a dumb beast; one has to discipline him."

Lion-O looked at Amok. "You don't have to listen to her you know. You could take that bandage off and wash out the salt and it wouldn't hurt anymore."

Rather than correcting him Chilla grinned a wicked grin. "As if he'd go against Mama."

Amok shook his head fearfully. "Amok love Mama. Want to make Mama happy."

Lion-O felt his eyes grow hot. Why should he care about Amok? He drew a steadying breath. "If she loved you, she wouldn't hurt you like that. Loving someone doesn't mean you should let them hurt you."

Amok's lip quivered and Chilla rolled her eyes. "Go on you lummox. I'll be along in a minute." Amok went obediently, quietly, and she took the bowl of water once more. "No, that big dumb brute wouldn't disobey Mama's slightest whim. I on the other hand…I can bend the rules."

She held the bowl up. "I'll tell her I spilled it in front of you on purpose. Our little secret." Lion-O looked at the water and then at Chilla.

"How do I know you're not trying to drug me?"

"There wouldn't be any point. It's not as if we have a magical truth telling serum…yet." She took a sip and swallowed, lips pursing at the edge. "Satisfied?"

Knowing full well she wouldn't do something like this out of kindness, Lion-O let her put the bowl to his lips and drank. He took it down in three swallows and panted for breath at the end. It wasn't enough but it eased the burning in his throat. "Thanks," he said finally.

She winked. "Our little secret."

* * *

"Traitors? Why would you want to use traitors in particular?"

Flayk was a smarmy little git. Tygra had dealt with his kind before, and Cheetara had pulled together a suitable merchant's cloak as he pretended to be exasperated. "Because my good man, some of this work is risky. Namely the mining. The tunnels are rather shaky at the best of times, and if something were to happen, traitors would be the best workers to bear the risk. Do you understand?"

"Ah." Flayk bought it. "Yes exactly. I see your meaning. Well, there are a few despicable characters here, but the worst are to be executed. Obviously, we can't use them."

"Of course not. Just point those out and we'll be sure to avoid those as we make our selection." He snapped his fingers at Cheetara, who had fallen into role of silent secretary under her hood. She started taking notes immediately. Panthro, on the other hand, silently examined the prison's hallway.

The glassy walls were perfectly designed, and the doors swung without a sound. The ceilings were high and installed with painfully bright lights, and the silence was something alarming. Tygra didn't like it here but he listened carefully as Flayk spoke. The very lowest level contained the worst criminals, for the prison extended underground, so they would avoid that level according to Flayk. No mere murderers or rapists dwelt there, but traitors against Lunata. Only the vilest.

After a little while Cheetara slipped the notes page to Tygra. He cleared his throat. "Sir, would there happen to be a lavatory in this fine facility?"

"Oh yes, back that way." He pointed along the hall. "Shall I accompany you?"

"No, thank you. I assure you, I'm quite capable of finding it." Tygra knew the man would watch to see if he would double back and touched the hilt of his whip fondly as he headed down the hall a few paces and then turned himself invisible. Nobody noticed a thing as he returned and darted silently for the stairs.

Lion-O, kidnapped. It had felt so much worse waking up this morning, looking for his cloak over the kittens, and seeing nothing. Tygra tried not to think of what the Luna might do to him. They would keep him alive certainly, but that wasn't much comfort. And what of the Sword of Omens? Suppose the Luna's leader sent it away and they never found it? Lion-O could be such a sap, stopping to try to help every sad story along the way. He'd told him that soft heart was going to get him killed-

Tygra cut that thought off immediately. They had all helped the sad stories along the way, it wasn't Lion-O's fault. And he was not going to die. They were going to get him back.

The bottom floor was still and silent. Tygra looked at his notes and then into the first cell. The doors were translucent, and small air holes let the occupants breathe. A toilet in the corner, a cot in the other, and a small set of books next to the bed. And on the bed was a Luna, looking at him. His face was small, rather pinched, and dark blue. His hair was white and spiky, and he seemed perhaps a little older than Tygra's father. He didn't look like a criminal. "Hello?" Tygra called.

"Why are you here? There's never been a cat here. Unless you're an executioner." The man folded his book and set it atop his stack.

"I'm not an executioner. What I do next depends on what you're in here for." Tygra stepped close to the door so he could hear better.

"Opposing Lunata, what else?" The dark, glittering eyes narrowed. "You're not a citizen of Lune, are you?"

"Nope. And what do you mean opposing Lunata?" Tygra glanced toward the stairs. "Shortened version please, I don't have a lot of time."

"Huh. No outsiders would have heard that she threw the entire council in prison." The Luna crossed his arms and stood up, approaching the door. "She operates as the head of the council ordinarily, and has for centuries. We're the elected officials from each sector of the city. I suppose we refused her whims one too many times because one night we were seized from our beds and locked in here."

Tygra considered this rapidly. "What set her off?"

"She started going on about needing artifacts and materials from other parts of the world. She wanted bizarre trade sanctions, to accept unsavory deals. It was only after we were tossed in here that we discovered she was the head of the Mutation trade." The man stopped. "But what does that have to do with you? Why are you here?"

"We're not fans of Lunata either. She kidnapped a friend of ours and has been busy trashing a lot of places because of her Mutation. I'm here to spring you." The man looked stunned.

"You're…one of the Thunderans. The ones breaking up the trade. Even the guards talk about you." Tygra gave him a cocky salute and he continued, "My name is Tannuk. Not every Lune citizen wants this madness, I'll have you know. She's gone power mad."

Tygra held up a finger. "Hold that thought. My question is this; do you know of a way to get into her palace without being discovered?" Tannuk nodded.

"Political discussion usually occurred there. And we knew of emergency exits that were built in long ago, back when Lune would war with local peoples." The Luna glanced the way Tygra had come. "How did you get here?"

"Well, that's a matter we'll have to deal with. It involved some mild trickery and a Luna that thought he was going to sell us prisoners as cheap labor."

Tannuk's eyes narrowed. "Flayk. He's been a thorn for twenty years now."

"Oh you've heard of him." Tygra examined the door. "Got any idea where the keys would be?"

"With security upstairs. They're forbidden to speak to us, so they've abandoned us for the most part." Tannuk gestured toward the others locked in their cells, all listening curiously. Tygra was indignant to see even young Luna women locked behind the translucent walls. Noticing his look Tannuk said, "We have no shortage of female representatives. And some are our assistants or understudies who helped us with work. Lunata is no respecter of persons, that much can be said."

"All right. Well, I have an idea." Tygra turned to the lock mechanisms. They were electronic, and he used his claws to prize off thin sheets of metal. Wires ran under it, smooth and tucked tightly together. Tygra bit the tip of his tongue delicately. "Might want to move back."

Upstairs Flayk turned. "What was that sound?"

Panthro glanced down the hall. "Sounds like circuits overloading."

"Well…well then we need to tell someone! If one of the prisoners escapes-!"

Flayk's face had paled even more than usual and Panthro put a hand on his shoulder. "Look, this ain't personal. I mean, I don't like you. But you've been useful. So don't take this the wrong way."

Tygra sat up, smelling his own burnt fur. "Sai is always telling me I'm going to blow something up. Ouch." He began brushing the soot off. "Very good insulation on those though. Just the hair burnt. Nice."

Tannuk slowly stepped out of the cell. "Are you insane?"

"I'm getting convicts to help me, of course I'm nuts. Lunata has been hurting everyone, not just Lune. Unless you like her harming Thundera as well as your own people, we're on the same side." Tygra watched as Tannuk absorbed this.

"We've no qualms with Thundera. Well, maybe some, but nothing on this level. If you're really against Lunata, we do have a common enemy." He rubbed his hands together hesitantly. "Now, I don't recommend trying to open every door that way."

"He won't have to." Panthro was coming down the hall with Flayk over his shoulder, a handsome bruise on the Luna's forehead. A guard was over his other shoulder, and his belt clinked with keys. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Well how was I to know you would find the keys that quick?" Tygra crossed his arms. "Let's get these people out of here, they know a way in."

It took several minutes to bring everyone up to speed and unlock all the doors. Snarf stood watch by the stairs, sensitive ears pricking and swiveling. Cheetara pulled the last door open and when she had helped the young woman out of the cell, she looked at Tygra. "So what's next? I don't suppose we're going to walk out the door and start a revolution in Lune are we?"

"Not presently." Tygra stood beside Tannuk. "There are a lot of people who do support Lunata, and she's got no shortage of magic practitioners currently on her new council."

"How come people didn't notice when these guys were locked up?" The kittens were standing on either side of an old male Luna, helping him keep his feet. "Didn't anyone care that the whole council was suddenly different?"

"Lunata said that many of us resigned because we didn't support Lune, questioning our patriotism. And to be honest, most of the middle class probably wasn't even informed. As long as they feel protected they don't question her. Keep in mind she's been in charge for hundreds of years." Tannuk sounded glum and Tygra looked around at the frightened faces in wonder. This many people and no one had bothered asking if Lunata had been telling the truth?

"None of us want war or hurt or anything like that," Cheetara said, helping one of the oldest women find a comfortable seat. "We want our friend back and to stop Lunata's crazy drug trade. We're not even asking you to get involved; just tell us how to get in."

Tygra felt anger wavering around her like heat and eyed Tannuk who seemed to chew this over. "You need to understand that Lunata has been our protector for thousands of years. Turning on her isn't…it isn't easy. She's…the hateful, wicked mistress of the house that keeps the beasts out."

Tygra stiffened in outrage at the ill-chosen "beasts" but Cheetara looked at the Luna calmly. "The beasts are already inside. And we're getting him back with or without help. If you don't want to aid us you should just get out of here to a safe place." Tannuk looked embarrassed and she turned to the others. "That goes for all of you."

The woman sitting on the floor tugged at Cheetara's cloak. "I used to teach medical treatment to Luna nobles, and treated several Luna in the palace. I can get you in. The servants had entrances everywhere." She blinked and crouched to meet the woman's gaze and Tygra was mystified by the woman's silky, thin hair. It looked like strands of translucent ice and her face was old and frail. "It's been fifty years since I did of course. The route's probably been forgotten because the palace has been altered. And it will take time to get there and dig out the tunnel."

Cheetara put her hands on the woman's shoulders. "Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

Lion-O ignored Lunata the next three times she came in, refusing to speak even when he was taken again to relieve himself. He didn't have the saliva to waste on talking. She seemed to know this and wafted cups of water before him and – when he shut his eyes – switched to the smell of stew and bread. Lion-O pulled his mind away, far away, but hunger and thirst pulled at him.

The fourth time she came – it had been a whole day? Time was blurring as he dozed and ached – she threw the water in his face. Lion-O blinked and mildly caught the droplets as best he could. It seemed to infuriate her and he smiled. "Why don't you just torture me? You won't, I know, but why?"

She glared at him in pure hatred. "I have my reasons."

He cocked his head, suddenly bold with his boredom. "You still think I'm someone important. And you don't want to put a mark on me because…"

"Well we don't want war with Thundera yet," Chilla called cheerfully as she entered. Lunata didn't give her a glance, stony. "And if you're some favored lad at court and we end up using you as a hostage, having you in good condition is important. Thundera's Siege of the East started just because someone's maid got roughed up a little during a visit. Imagine a page boy being treated poorly!"

"Wars have started over less," he agreed. Then he said, "Oh, don't-!"

Lunata swung around and struck Chilla so hard across the mouth she hit the floor. Lion-O watched with his jaw hanging as the woman grabbed Chilla's long, thick hair and hauled her out of the room by it over the flawless, slick floor. Violent, crashing sounds emanated from the hall as they went.

He didn't once hear Chilla scream. His heart was pounding and he looked at the floor, wishing the others would get here. The talking had dried his mouth out even more and he shut it as he hung his head again.

It took ten minutes for him to realize he wasn't alone. The soft sound of crying had begun, almost imperceptible in the ringing of his own ears, and Lion-O stiffened when he saw Amok huddled near the door, sloping head buried in his arms. The great bandage seemed crisp and fresh, as if a new one had been applied. The flesh was still a horrible red and Lion-O looked at him. "She's still making you wear that?"

"One more week. Mama punish Amok, Amok bad." He cowered. "Amok hate it when Mama mad."

Lion-O decided his thirst would be equally intolerable whether he spoke a little more or not. "Does she do that often?"

"Only when very mad. Chilla not supposed to talk to you." Amok suddenly looked alarmed. "Amok not supposed to talk to you!"

"I won't say anything." Lion-O watched as Amok slowly, slowly approached, nursing his injured arm. "You could get really sick if that stays on."

"Amok…Amok not allowed to take off bandage." But the small eyes were bright with pain and Lion-O clenched his fists. "Amok…didn't mean to do bad…"

"You didn't. I mean, hurting those people was bad, but you didn't know any better. And even if you messed up, Lunata shouldn't-she shouldn't have-"

Lion-O swore softly. Amok had no reaction, flat nails twitching against the sore flesh. "You don't have to listen to her. You can take that thing off. I don't understand why you let her do this to you." He watched the delicate pulse under the swollen skin and suddenly lifted his head again. "Bring me a bucket of water." Amok opened his mouth to protest, suspicious. "Or I tell her you talked to me."

Lion-O knew his voice was sharper than he'd intended but Amok's stupid face gave way to terror and he scuttled off. He could feel his heart in his mouth as the behemoth returned, quivering, clutching a bucket. "Amok…Amok won't let you drink it, even if you t-tell Mama. Not…not supposed t-to get w-water."

"I'm not going to drink it. Can you loosen these?" Lion-O fixed Amok with a hard gaze. "I promise I won't try to run. You could catch me even if I did. I just want to be able to move my arms for a few minutes."

Amok seemed uncertain but, as Lion-O had been let out before to use the bathroom twice, he seemed to decide it was not such a huge request. He waved his hands clumsily and fat, ugly links of icy chain drew from the stalactites and stalagmites. Lion-O hit the floor and gasped with pain, folding them under his body and forgetting himself in agony.

He forced himself to sit up and slowly shifted so he was sitting in front of Amok. "Let me see your arm."

Amok clutched it close to his front and Lion-O suddenly felt so tired. "Please. I'm not going to hurt you again." He put out a hand, trembling with the exertion. Amok stared at it for a long while, uncertain. "If I try to escape you can always break my arm."

Amok slowly, slowly put his big, meaty hand in Lion-O's like a small child. "This might sting okay? Just hold still and let me work on it." Lion-O started to peel back the bandage.

"But-But Mama say Amok no touch-"

"Amok isn't touching the bandage and Amok isn't taking it off either. Lion-O is. Amok isn't disobeying Mama at all." The giant seemed thunderstruck by this loophole and Lion-O took the silent opportunity to take the bandages away. The wound was puffy and the kind of violet of the sky when a red sun was setting. Lion-O analyzed the opaque crystals, jagged in the wound and littering the skin, and nearly retched. The skin sizzled where the grains rested.

He took a deep breath. "You have to stay quiet." He untucked the hem of his shirt and tore off a long, thin piece of cloth. He soaked the rag and dabbed it swiftly over Amok's arm.

The Luna's eyes bulged but his gritted his teeth and whimpered. "Sorry, sorry, sorry," Lion-O hissed in a mantra, dabbing off the salt as best he could. "Okay, hang on…"

He tore his shirt again and repeated the process once more. This time Amok seemed to hiss with a mixture of pain and relief. "All right, almost done. You're doing good." Lion-O scooped water with his hands onto the wound, realizing faintly that this was cool, fresh, pure water that he was dying to drink. Amok's arm already looked better, the most furious hues lessening. Lion-O looked to the bandages and sniffed them, shaking out what little salt had stuck to the cloth instead of Amok. "It's not perfect but at least your arm will heal." He wound the bandages around the thick arm again, realizing Amok could snap his wrist with a well-placed thumb. But the giant sat quietly, watching him.

"Why you help?"

"I don't know. Watching her treat you like some dumb brute made me sick I guess. That's not how a mother is supposed to treat her son." Wherever they came from, Lion-O added mentally. "Try to keep away from her until you're allowed to take off the bandage. She might notice that your skin is looking better. And dry up the water so she doesn't notice when she comes back."

Amok slowly stood up as Lion-O looked at his chained wrists. "Well?" He made the clumsy motions again and the chains shrank, pulling him back up. Lion-O bit his lip and screamed at himself mentally. What had he been thinking? He could have tried to trick Amok, could have at least taken water. Why had he done that? Compassion was all well and good, but this…this was idiocy, wasn't it?

He lowered his head again, torn between exhaustion and burning, angry satisfaction. Lunata would not hurt this poor being in at least one way. Amok was looking at him in a strange, confused way. Then he slowly took the bucket and – still casting weird looks at Lion-O – moved around to clean up the mess.

I'm a fool, Lion-O thought bitterly.

* * *

Wilykat carried Snarf as they traveled through the ice, as Snarf's paws had gone numb and he'd been stumbling terribly over rocks and ice chunks. They were a bright, raw pink and Kat cuddled the creature against his chest to warm him up. His sister hopped forward at regular intervals to blow her hot breath on Snarf's paws and give them kisses.

The old woman was being carried in the crook of Panthro's right arm, and seemed relatively unconcerned about it. They had long ago left the finer portions of Lune, slipping into cool, moderate alleyways where cats were more common. No one seemed to care about a few cats and a Luna woman being carried by one of them.

"Servants are fairly common in Lune. If anyone asks, we can tell them I wanted the sensation of walking again," she said sensibly. Panthro shrugged and forged on, Kat ignoring his own toes burning. Her name was Frigid but she didn't really live up to it; she had a gentle heart and a wise head, and she bore no love for Lunata. "The great Library of Lune used to rest in this direction and I would run to get the medical books and scientific studies, for healing and research. I tended injuries for Luna and animal alike, and saw firsthand what those experiments did. I spoke out against her abuse and that was why I was imprisoned."

"Why we were all imprisoned," Tannuk muttered. He brought up the rear, hair billowing in the chill wind.

Kat didn't get it. Lunata was a bad woman and did bad things and she ought to be locked up. But she wasn't, the good guys were. It was the exact polar opposite of what should have happened. His head hurt as much as it had when he'd wondered about Hammerhand, and Lion-O killing Nfumu. The first had been very bad but even he had something good to him. And Lion-O, who was so good, had to end a life. Which, Kat thought, was generally bad. But it had been to do a good thing, to protect them.

Good and evil were complicated things. Kit had her palm over Snarf's little cold feet and Kat shook thoughts of good and evil away. Bad was bad and good was good, even if people pretended otherwise. That was truth. No amount of thinking about such confusing things would ever change what was. But it was still all very complicated, which didn't make a lot of sense.

Lion-O would have understood. He was a grownup but not so very grownup that he didn't know how to explain things to a kid. He supposed Cheetara and Tygra could have tried to make the thoughts clearer but Tygra was busy planning and Cheetara…she looked scary right now.

"Here." Frigid pointed down another alley and at the end of it was a small door, slanted into a brick opening that seemed to tunnel under the surface. "This leads to one of the old servants' entrances. It hasn't been used in years."

Cheetara and Tygra moved forward and tried the door. There were severe, official looking locks on its handle and the metal seemed impassable. Kat watched Panthro as he grunted and had Tygra hold the Luna woman, who squinted at him. "You know a tigress named Matrae?"

"Yes actually. She's my darling mother." Frigid seemed wryly amused.

"Ah. Her wild, handsome son that she frets after. I haven't seen her in months. We used to have tea together." Tygra rolled his eyes. "I confess I may have to call on her generosity. I can't go back to my home. Lunata's soldiers will be on the alert in the city."

"Mom has defenses around the manor, and a lot of support from everyone around. She'd be glad to have you. Just let her know you helped out Tygra. If she wants evidence, tell her to stock up on sweetshrub tea leaves." Frigid raised an eyebrow but nodded.

There was a great crack and Kat jumped; Panthro had broken the lock and the hinges to the door had pulled away, metal tearing. He sat it aside and peered into the passage. "We'll go from here. You two don't need to put yourself in danger any more than you have."

Tannuk seemed surprised when Tygra handed Frigid to him. "You take her to my mother, I'm sure she'll help you too. Tell her all that's happened. With any luck we'll get Lion-O out and be back in a couple of days. Lunata won't take this lying down, so tell her to get some defense together on the sly."

Tannuk adjusted himself and Frigid held on to his shoulder looking frail. "I need to warn you about something," she said. "Lunata is no trifling witch, and her daughter Chilla is an abomination. Both of them are incredibly powerful."

"We know," Cheetara said quietly. Kat noticed that her claws rapped lovingly against the staff and knew that Cheetara was dying to run into Chilla again. Things were personal now.

"I owe you a debt; if any of you end up hurt, I'll try to patch up whatever's left." Frigid nodded at Tannuk, who pulled up his hood. "Be careful. Avoid them if you can, find your friend and get out."

"No advice on how to beat Lunata if we find her?" Tygra asked.

Frigid gave him a sad smile. "If I knew of anyone that had beat her I would tell you the method. But alas, I don't." On that alarming note the Luna were gone and Cheetara in particular looked grim.

"She thinks we're going to die." No one said anything for a minute and the breeze was unbearable even in their warmest clothes. Cheetara turned steely eyes onto the tunnel. "Kat, Kit…"

"Nuh-uh! Don't even tell us to stay back!" Kit stomped a little foot in the snow, jostling Snarf. "Don't even! Lion-O's our friend too!"

"I don't-"

"Yeah, we're tough too!" Kat exclaimed, finding his voice even as his stomach dropped. "We want to help!"

"Guys. I wasn't going to tell you to stay here. I wanted to tell you that you're both very clever and that we're going to need that. So be ready to help depending on what we find." Both kittens stared and Cheetara dropped into the tunnel. "Come on. We might have to dig, and Lion-O's waited long enough already."

Tygra and Panthro shared a look before following, Tygra helping Kit and Snarf down and Panthro helping Kat. As they delved into the cool dark Kat thought of Captain Masti. He had been a good man that had died trying to save Kat. The kittens hadn't been able to do anything for him.

Hang on Lion-O, he thought grimly. It's gonna be different this time.

* * *

It was in fact possible to fall asleep when one's tongue could barely be prized from the top of one's mouth.

Lion-O had lost track of time. No, not quite. Six hours were consistently broken up by visits. He'd had…six. So he'd been here thirty-six hours. More than that now. He couldn't feel his fingers and his knees were locked, and he dozed in an exhausted stupor.

It had been more than twelve hours since Chilla had given him water. Longer than that since he'd eaten. His head ached and he wished he would just pass out to get a reprieve.

Footsteps. He let his head hang, stomach turning in anxiety. Lunata never touched him, never so much as marked him. But she waved bread in front of him, told him tales of two kittens being vivisected, a tiger being skinned, a panther being crushed in an avalanche, and of unspeakable, vile things being done to a cheetah.

He knew she was lying. She made no mention of Snarf and it occurred to him that she probably didn't know much about him. But to hear her so vividly describe horrors being done to his friends-

Lion-O had brought out the Fangs in his mind, pretending he could feel the metal mask and hid behind it with a perfect façade. She'd scowled at him and left. What she would do now was anyone's guess. The door creaked open.

Amok peeped into the room like a giantor that thought it was a Snarf. He blinked in Lion-O's direction and then scuttled into the room, holding a box. He shut the door. Then he shuffled inside, toward Lion-O, without quite looking at him. Lion-O watched him, barely curious. He was too tired to wonder, too hungry and cold.

Amok waved his thick hand at the icicles and the chains extended again. Lion-O crumpled, motionless, unable to move on his own anymore. Amok – with a surprising gentleness – picked him up around the middle and set him so he was leaning against one of the pillars in the room. Lion-O's vision swam as he was settled, and when he felt a cool cup touch his lips he drank automatically.

It wasn't water. Whatever it was it woke up him, drove back the headache and pain. Lion-O's muscles seized but he forced himself to take the cup and drain it. "What is this?" he panted.

"Potion. Makes warm, makes not hurt. Hard to make. Amok mix it." The being looked away and then nudged the box toward Lion-O. "Oops. Amok lose box. Where did box go?" He began to pretend to look around clumsily and Lion-O stared for a good sixty seconds before he realized Amok wanted him to have whatever was in it.

If he hadn't taken the potion it would have been impossible, but Lion-O managed to open the box. Inside was a small bread loaf, dried meat, and a capped canister of what looked like water. Lion-O looked at Amok, uncertain, but he seemed to be ignoring Lion-O, back turned to him.

Lion-O didn't look twice. He tore into the contents of the box, devouring all of it in five minutes. When he'd finished he closed his eyes, unwilling to forget the sensation of food in his stomach. "Thanks," he managed softly.

Amok shifted. "Oh. Amok left box over there. Oh well." Amok took the empty box and hesitated. "Amok is not allowed to talk to cat, or give him water or food. But Amok lost his box and the food is gone. Oh well." Lion-O smiled at him.

"Must be frustrating when that happens. Well, Lion-O is very glad Amok 'forgot' his box. And," he continued, "would like to know if Amok's arm is better."

Amok nodded about forty-five degrees to Lion-O's left. "Amok's arm is better. Scratch is going away. Lion-O…was nice to help Amok."

"Amok was nice to help Lion-O." He sighed, watching as Amok fiddled with the box, as if wrestling with his actions. "You're not like Lunata at all, are you?"

After a pause, Amok gathered his courage and finally looked at Lion-O directly. "Amok love Mama. But Mama not always nice. When Amok was baby, Mama was busy. Hired a lady to be Amok's Nana. Teach him to talk, read, make things. Nana was nice. Taught Amok it not good to hurt people unless he has to."

He settled on his deformed haunches. "Amok not smart. Mama very nice to have lady try to teach him. But only teach him little bit, too much hurt Amok's head. She show Amok how to make potions. Would sing to Amok and kiss Amok. Nice Nana."

Lion-O nodded. "She sounds very nice. What happened to her?"

Amok paused. "Mama say…Mama say Nana not teaching Amok good enough, Amok still not smart. Said she be nice, make sure I have job. Mama nice. But Mama not nice because…she tell Nana to punish Amok to make Amok strong. Nana said no, she would not punish Amok. Amok learning, Amok good. She love Amok."

He seemed to start rocking. "Mama say she bad. Didn't listen. Mama throw Nana down stairs."

Lion-O sat up. "She killed her?"

Amok nodded and seemed to shrink. "Mama nice, Mama nice…she only hurt Amok to make him be not bad…"

"No." Lion-O leaned forward. "Amok, Lunata is not nice. She is bad. She hurts innocent people to get what she wants, she's a witch. She's very evil Amok. Do you know what that means?"

Amok shuddered. "Amok know what evil is. Like Harbinger."

Lion-O's fur lifted. "You know about him?"

"Amok smell it. Hear it. Feel it. Dark things. When Amok dreams they scary. See bad Harbinger eating, eating." He whimpered. "Mama say she stop Harbinger, so she nice. Right?"

"No Amok. She's trying to stop one bad thing by doing bad things herself. She's going to kill a lot of people to stop the Harbinger, and even more people so she can take over. That is not nice. Nice is…"

Lion-O faltered. How could he explain? "Nice is when someone tries to stop bad things by doing good things. Instead of hurting people, we're trying to take the Sword of Omens to the heart of the world so we can fix it. It's good. It kills bad things. We don't want to hurt people, even when they hurt us. Sometimes we don't have a choice. Do you understand?"

Amok nodded, surprising him. "Nana say same thing. She take care of scratches just like Lion-O."

Lion-O stood up, looking at the chains. "Amok, you don't have to listen to her. You can do good instead of bad. I know it's hard, but…Lunata doesn't love you. You know that."

The Luna blinked great tears away. "Amok scared."

"I know. I know." Lion-O managed to step forward and reached to touch Amok's forehead. The skin was cold, trembling. "I know it's scary. It's okay to be scared. But you know what's right. Do you want Lunata to hurt more people like your Nana?"

Amok shook his head. "Then help me get out of here," Lion-O said, voice urgent. "You can come with us. Or you can just leave Lunata, and do what you want."

"Oh can he now?"

Lion-O froze. He hadn't heard the door and neither had Amok. Lunata was standing in the doorway, listening while tapping one finger against the frame. Amok made a sound like a frightened shegoat, and cowered. She snapped her fingers and Lion-O's chains yanked him back, nearly breaking his shoulders. He gasped with the impact, then glared, ignoring the throbbing. "Amok, Amok. I know you're dim, but I thought I'd made it clear that you need to listen."

She walked toward them, violet dress leaving a long train behind her. Lunata looked more than ever like an old, haggard witch in a dark fairy tale. "Did you really think I hadn't noticed you weren't fussing with your scratch anymore? Or that the swelling had gone down?" Her eyes narrowed.

"I did it," Lion-O said suddenly. "I threatened him, I tricked him."

"No doubt. But he ought to have known enough not to talk to you." She examined the box. "And he gave you food and water."

"Amok sorry, Amok…sorry!" He had started to cry and clapped his hands over his horned head, whites of his eyes rimming his irises in a frenzy. "Mama don't hurt Amok, please."

Lion-O felt his fur stiffen as she opened her hand and lightning flashed from her palm. It was bright violet, intense, and the sound reminded him of a herd of small insects, their tiny cries building into a roar. Amok screamed and fell, thrashing. The lightning stopped and Lion-O saw no marks on the Luna, but he was rolling in pain.

"Stop! Stop it!" Lion-O screamed, throwing himself against the manacles. Amok had only tried to help him. She ignored him and struck again, and again.

"This isn't real lightning. All it does is overload the nervous system, which is responsible for pain detection and sensation. I find it useful for chastisement," she said. "I should have used this from the beginning, but I thought I could get you to talk."

She paused. "Of course, if you tell me what I want to know, you'd both be off the hook."

Lion-O looked at Amok, sprawled in a sobbing heap of pain. Then he turned cold eyes to Lunata, every inch of him brutally angry. "You are a cowardly, spineless old witch."

Lunata's hand dropped. She stared at him. "What…did you call me?"

"Cowardly. Spineless. You abuse everyone around you because you know that if they didn't fear you all your power would be gone." Lion-O thrashed, fighting his bonds. "You torture him because he doesn't fight back. If he did you'd be the one cowering."

She drew up close, eyes all poached hate and livid rage. "If you think-"

Lion-O spat in her face.

She screamed in surprise, jumping back. The silence was heavy afterward, for she was speechless as she wiped away his spittle. "You…you little…"

Pain rocketed up his spine, into his brain, behind his eyeballs, and Lion-O shrieked in agony. The lightning felt like it cooked him alive, burning through his nerve endings. Lunata bared her teeth in a grin, jolting him again. "A coward am I? You filthy little tailsucking wretch! I'll make you cry like a woman, worm!" Lion-O panted for breath when she let off for a moment. He wished Amok hadn't given him the potion, woken his deadened limbs back up. Every scrap of pain was intense, new. "Tell me what I want to know and I'll stop."

Lion-O pressed his lips together and her ugly face darkened. "Fine."

Amok crept out the door, listening to the cat scream and his mother's lunatic, terrifying laughter.

* * *

"Forty more feet if Frigid was right."

Kit dug harder, tail swishing furiously as Snarf burrowed beside her. There were places where the tunnel had collapsed and been filled with snow, freezing the way shut. It hurt at first to dig her claws into the ice but now that they were raw and red she didn't feel it anymore. They would be chapped and swollen when they warmed again.

Cheetara used the spears on her staff to crack the ice, breaking it apart so they could dig better. Tygra used some of the flammable chemical Matrae had given them – he had cartridges of it on his belt – to speed the melting along. And Panthro, once the wall was thin enough, barreled right through.

Kat blew on his hands as they ran in the newly opened tunnel. Kit bit her lip looking at Snarf's little paws; they were even more delicate than their hands, being so small, and where he ran little ticks of blood hit the ground. But Snarf didn't stop, charging ahead like a bright ball of fire.

Kit stopped, suddenly feeling sick. "Guys…I feel woozy." Kat had stopped as well and Tygra paused to steady them both.

"You feel weird too?" He shook his head as if trying to shake loose a fly. "Guess it's the digging getting to us. That was what, the fourth mound of snow we've had to break through?"

Cheetara was leaning on the wall. "No. It's not the digging." She looked at them, lips pale. "They're hurting Lion-O."

Panthro alone seemed unaffected. "I think you're right. I don't know why or how, but…I could swear Lion-O being tortured."

"What!?" Kit shook off the sensation. "Then we gotta get him! I'll-I'll kill those bad people! I will, I will-!"

Tygra shook her shoulders gently. "Hey! I don't want to hear you talking that way. If anyone's got to fight, it's going to be us grown-ups. You focus on helping Lion-O if he's hurt, okay?" His yellow eyes were focused, firm, but he wiped her cheeks. Kit hadn't realized she was crying, even when the hot tears dripped off her chin.

"Okay. But…but we've gotta help him," she said, nose suddenly far stuffier than before. He nodded.

Tygra led the way forward then, and the carved tunnel pitched upward and one more wall of snow loomed before them. Before they could stop to dig it out Panthro and Cheetara looked at each other and seemed to reach an understanding. She sprinted forward, blurring with her speed, and cracked the wall with her staff before pulling it away and shifting to the safety of the tunnel wall.

Panthro plowed ahead, arms crossed in front of his face, and barreled through the cracked ice. The chunks split, falling to ground in clumps, and Kit stomped on the bigger ones as she ran by, imagining they were the bad people that had hurt Lion-O and Masti and Timbyr and Leofa's parents and Mama and Papa-

"Yes!" Tygra's voice was triumphant as he pointed forward. "Ladies and gents, we have a door." His grin was sharp and dangerous as the old, frosted metal door sat before them. Panthro cracked his knuckles and eyed the rusted control panel, but Tygra waved him back. "Save some energy for pummeling Luna. This thing's not even live." He took out another vial of chemical and slathered it on the frozen crack where the doors were to separate, and the sides. He set this on fire with a crack of his whip, and when the fire consumed it he rubbed his fingers together and took Cheetara's staff. He stabbed the thinnest blade into the crack and prized it open the barest bit, melted ice dripping.

Then he used his hands the throw the doors open wide.

* * *

Lion-O dangled in the chains.

His body had no more strength to it, throat raw. His feet brushed the floor as he swayed back and forth. His chin rested against his chest and his hair hung in his face, barely contained in its ponytail.

Three hours. Lion-O had only been really aware of it for about one. Even when he stopped screaming she had continued, a shattering pain that followed him into a nightmare. When she had tired at last she snapped her fingers and pulled the chains into the ceiling, the jagged stalactites gone. Apparently she wanted to see him hang like a dead fish.

The others were coming. His mind flickered at this thought. It had been the only thing to keep him from breaking down in the torment of Lunata's sorcery. And he had saved Amok; Lunata had turned around to see him missing and screeched, throwing another volley of lightning Lion-O's way in his stead.

He had never been struck by lightning but he felt like he'd been cooked from the inside. It was the only way he could imagine it feeling. Limbs thick, he stared at the floor with barely open eyes.

Something in him stirred in new anticipation. He didn't understand it, but it was full of many familiar, good things. It was Tygra steeping tea, Panthro telling the kittens not to eat too many sweetshrub berries if they didn't want to get the runs. It was Snarf cuddling up by his side for warmth and Cheetara combing her long, golden hair as it fell over her shoulders.

They were coming. His heart beat wearily in acknowledgement.

The door creaked and he lifted his head. How had he known? What bond was growing between them that he could sense them coming? Hope flared in him, bright and hot.

Then despair quenched it. Chilla smiled at him. "Expecting someone else?"

* * *

End of Episode 18


	19. Chapter 19

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 19**

 **Flame of Mercy**

* * *

Lion-O said nothing as Chilla entered and shut the door quietly behind her. "Stupid old woman. Proud too." She approached less girlishly than before, drifting in a long, white gown that glittered with ice crystals. Her long hair hung loose and soft around her shoulders. "Why'd you help him anyway?"

Lion-O looked at her, lifting his eyes. She had a dark blue bruise on her cheek. "Because I could."

"No really. There's no way it was just pure altruism, was it?" She crossed her arms and Lion-O looked down again.

"I felt sorry for him. He didn't deserve that. Amok isn't evil, he's just being used." Talking hurt. Blinking hurt. But Lion-O forced himself to talk anyway because he wasn't sure of the reasoning himself until it came out of his mouth. His voice cracked; it was spent after screaming. "Why do you all stay with her?"

"She's Mama. The only one we've got." Chilla did not seem conflicted or hurt. Her tone was plain, honest, and she held her chin daintily in her palm. "It's just how things are. And anyway, as powerful as she is, what else would we do?"

Lion-O sighed, deflating. "So what do you want? You didn't come here to rationalize your mother's abuse did you?"

She shook her head. "I wanted to see how you were. She tortured you after all. Mama normally has some decorum. She must not like you." Chilla idly inspected his ponytail. "Why do you keep all this gorgeous red hair back? I haven't seen one picture of you without this."

"We've all got our secrets."

Her lips were troubled, brows soft. But Lion-O looked into those eyes and saw only cold. "Hm. You know, I could get you out of here."

He couldn't perk up, and Lion-O felt like laughing at her anyway. "Yeah, right."

"Really. I could. I mean, it's not as if an accident couldn't happen. Guards tripped or something and you got a knife, killed them…it would be easy to stage." Chilla shrugged. "You couldn't take the Sword of Omens of course. But at least she wouldn't fling you out over the courtyard stairs when she's tired of you."

Lion-O's eyes narrowed. "And what's the catch?"

"'Catch?'" She batted her lashes fetchingly. "I don't know about any catches."

"You'd release me without expecting anything in return. Surely you're not one for pure altruism either." He said it flatly.

"Well, if you really wanted to thank your lovely champion…" she said sweetly. Lion-O felt a cold set of fingers brush against his side and realized she was tracing a delicate, mischievous pattern against his thigh.

He stared. "What…?"

Chilla made herself very clear by suddenly taking hold of Lion-O's tail and pulling.

He was nearly as shocked as he was outraged. Of all the slurs in the world, the pulling of one's tail was the dirtiest and most obscene, and there was only one thing she could be insinuating. Between husband and wife it was a playful invitation, but between strangers? "Cats and Luna can't. Nine times out of ten-" he began, remember historical cases. His tail whisked in a fury and his stomach knotted in a cold ball.

"Only in the case of male Luna and female cats!" she snapped, face flickering with a strange anger. Then it smoothed with an effort and Lion-O wondered if she was crazy as the calculating look returned. "Don't you think I'm pretty?" she asked in newly honeyed tones.

"I don't care what you look like. Let go of my tail." He bared his teeth at her, which only seemed to excite her. Her nails dug into his skin and the new pain added to the dull ache in his bones.

"What if I don't? What are you going to do about it?" Lion-O felt the coldness of her as she drew in close and there was no way to back up. He was so close that he could pick out individual, snowy strands of hair and count the bright glints in her black, glassy eyes. Her little finger slid under the hem of his shirt. "There's not much say you have, is there?"

The tapping of a finger on Chilla's smooth shoulder made her start and turn. "What-?"

A strong leg kicked high and slammed into the side of Chilla's head, knocking her six feet and into the wall. She lay stone still, sprawled unceremoniously across the glassy floor. Lion-O looked at her and then her assailant.

Cheetara's eyes were bright brown fire as her foot stomped the ground. "That tramp just pulled your tail!"

Lion-O felt warmer than he had in days. Relief flooded into him and his voice was weak again. "What took you?"

"This isn't the easiest place to get into." Tygra had slipped through the door, waving Panthro in.  
"You okay? What happened?"

Lion-O's face flushed as Cheetara touched his cheek and looked alarmed. "You're freezing! Where's your cloak?" Panthro rushed toward him, lifting him up so he wasn't hanging anymore and Tygra stretched to reach the manacles.

"Hold still." Tygra pulled a cork from a bottle at his belt and trickled a little oil over the ice and set it alight. It took a minute but at last the ice cracked and Lion-O was free. He rubbed his wrists as Panthro set him down. Their faces had played in his head for the past two days and now they were almost too bright to bear.

"I'm okay. Mainly I've been hanging in here. Lunata didn't resort to torture right away." Now that he was down he realized how weak he was and sat on the floor. Cheetara had returned, carrying his ragged cloak. He reached out with trembling arms to take it but drew his cloak around his shoulders herself. Her face was strange, drawn, and she tied the cords. "I can do that," he protested.

"Not right now you can't," Panthro said. "What'd she do to you?"

Lion-O was overwhelmed as they inspected him and Cheetara examined his face. "It was just some light blast or something. I don't think she wanted to leave evidence since I'm from the Imperial City – guys, I'm okay!"

Cheetara had turned to bandage the cuts on his tail where Chilla's claws had dug in. She shot him a look and he held still, face reddening as she bandaged him, fingers gentle where Chilla had cut. "She wanted me to tell her about why I was sent, who I am. I didn't. How did you guys get here?"

"It involves duplicity, a prison break, stationing the kittens in the courtyard with Snarf, and about fourteen guards with concussions. Fun story, remind us to fill you in." Tygra helped him stand up and Cheetara finished tying the bandage. "So. Chilla sure seems fond of you."

Lion-O shivered and Cheetara stamped the butt of her staff against the ground. "Did she hurt you? What about the big one, Amok?" she asked. Her expression was steel and thunder, and Lion-O was embarrassed by her concern – and yet secretly thrilled.

"No. She's just…I don't know what's wrong with her. Lunata abuses her and Amok, she's like a rebellious child. And Amok is just trying to listen to his mother, he loves her. Even though she's awful." He explained quickly about Amok and his wound, and how Amok had brought him food and water. By the end Cheetara's face had softened to silk and Lion-O was standing a little better.

"He makes potions? Huh," Tygra observed. "It takes a steady hand…"

Cheetara looked to the door, opening the blades on her staff. "Let's get out of here. Where's the Sword of Omens?"

"With Lunata." Lion-O paused. "I don't want to leave Amok. She'll torture him. Chilla could stand up to the woman. I don't think he can."

Tygra sighed. "Figures that being kidnapped wouldn't change you a bit." In an unexpected move the tiger wrapped an arm around Lion-O's shoulders and mussed his hair. "We're glad you're okay. You kind of…you know, we were worried."

Lion-O looked from him to Panthro – whose jaw was set at an angle that was wholly unfamiliar, and much gentler – to Cheetara who finally sighed and pulled him into a hug. "The whole time we were wondering what they were doing to you. We thought-I thought-"

Lion-O returned the embrace, soaking in her warmth. "I'm okay. I knew you guys would get me back," he mumbled. His throat hurt and his eyes blurred, feeling their fears slowly dissipate. They had worried for him. Not because of positions or powers but because they cared about him.

It took all his control to pull his tears back. Happiness hurt. "Come on, we need to move." He stepped back and gave them all grateful bows of his head. "Thank you. For everything."

"Thank us later. We're not out yet." Tygra gestured for them to wait outside the door, Cheetara casting acidic looks toward Chilla's unconscious body. "I'll scout ahead. Keep quiet everyone, let's see if we can backtrack. We need to get you out first Lion-O, then we'll worry about the sword. It won't work for her anyway."

He was a liability he realized, as he trembled when forced to stand in place for any length of time. His muscles had been cold and still for too long and as they progressed down the halls – passing several unconscious bodies on the way, each hidden in great vases or behind doors – he had to pause often. After the third time this happened Panthro picked him up in an arm. Lion-O didn't protest, carried like a toddler. The warmth of Panthro's arm was a shock and he held on to the brawny shoulder. It reminded him of when he was a child and his father had brought him in out of the snow, and it was so deep that he couldn't walk in it. So father had picked him up and he held on to his shoulder like this, careful not to pull on the braided beard and long, tawny hair.

Lion-O's eyes burned again but he forced it back with a deep breath. "Tygra, where did you get in?"

"A cellar. We met some Luna that knew routes into the palace from when they used to come here. Servants come and go all the time, same as the city. No wonder it's so easy for them to ferry Mutation everywhere."

"So there's a cellar…what else? I've only seen that room." Lion-O turned his head, taking in the grandeur of the purple curtains and silver moons emblazoned on the walls. Everything looked like the smoothest cloudy glass, but when he tapped it he frowned. "What is this?"

"It ain't ice. The fixtures are but the walls and floors and ceiling are all a kind of crystal. Tough stuff. And there's more than a cellar downstairs." Panthro sounded grim. "You won't believe the sight of it. This whole place is a catastrophe waiting to happen."

Lion-O was quiet at that, apprehensive as they entered a spiral staircase and started down it, curving like a shell.

* * *

His face was drawn and pale, and Cheetara saw blue to his lips. Seeing Lion-O alive had sent joy surging into each of them but hers had been tempered with blistering hate; he'd been tortured. Not for long, but that didn't matter. They had come to help him and he'd been hurt.

Watching him try to walk had made her want to bring the castle crashing down. His entire body seemed to shake, as if it had forgotten how to work while he hung in that cold room. Were his hands warming up? He could move them at least, but so slowly…

She reached up and gave his fingers a squeeze. They flinched in reply and she sighed. "We'll have to get you warm when we get out of this place." His pale face seemed to color slightly. "I don't know how we're going to help the people downstairs."

He looked at her sharply. "'People?'"

Cheetara nodded. They were still going down, down, and the crystal became darker. The chill was leaving the air. "This crystal? It's made from heat and pressure, not like the ice up above. We think there's a magic barrier protecting the palace from what's down here."

Lion-O was silent as they moved still lower. A metal door was at the bottom. "This is the best way we've got to get out. Bear in mind the Luna never use it anymore because the magma's higher than it used to be," Tygra began.

Panthro pushed the door open and Cheetara heard Lion-O gasp.

It had shocked her when they'd entered the room too. The servant's quarters had opened up here – from what Tygra had estimated by the room's décor and set up they had determined it had once been an empty glacier. But now, hundreds of feet below the metal catwalk, rested a cozy pool of magma.

And only feet from them were thousands of mutated creatures in a cage.

Magic hung thick in the air and the mutants lay sleeping on the metal flooring, piled on top of each other and crammed against the bars. Cheetara knew they were hexed; no way could the creatures sleep in such a manner if they weren't. Most of them seemed to have metal collars on and their jaws hung slack, teeth glinting. Catwalks crossed the vast room; perhaps it had been built from a crater that had, over centuries, formed a volcano. Lava had cracked up under the lowest part and welled up in oozing waves, and the heat smelled of sulfur.

Machines lined the walls and greed liquid sparkled at them from glass containers that traveled by chute across the room. They were pulled up great tubes into openings in the rock, and Cheetara wondered at how much Mutation was redistributed for the north here. This time she would destroy it, and how.

"All of this has been under the palace?" Lion-O asked weakly. "For how long?"

"Nearly sixty years."

The shudder that rifled through his fur made Cheetara angrier and she turned to see Chilla standing coldly in the doorway, glaring at them. "The Mutants, on the other hand, have only been here about three months. Keeping them in suspended sleep was easier than anything else."

She gave Lion-O a hungry look and Cheetara stepped forward, staff crackling with electricity. Chilla smirked at her. "Aw, is baby Cheetara jealous?"

Panthro adjusted Lion-O so he could both carry him and take out his nunchuks at the same time. "Why the Ghen are you keeping these people here? Is it really to sacrifice their souls to a spell?"

"That's only a backup plan. Mama just wants to wage war on Thundera and the other kingdoms with them, she'll only use the souls if she has to." Chilla was bleeding from the back of her head, Cheetara realized, dark purple slowing in her white hair. "She needs some things for the Harbinger. If she doesn't get them, it's a plan B."

"Ruining all these lives…all these people dying…is a 'plan B?'" Lion-O tried to get down but Panthro growled. Chilla had shown her power before and Cheetara glanced at him and Tygra and met the same fire. They'd already lost him once, they weren't losing him again.

"You have protectors this time." This was a new voice but Cheetara had heard it before. It could only be Lunata coming down the stairs after Chilla, who looked as surprised as they. Dark violet silk draped around her, but its grace did nothing for her decrepit, bitter face. "Lion-O, Lion-O…I can't believe I didn't figure it out earlier. Not only do you have the Sword of Omens, but Thundercats too…"

He blinked. Cheetara watched a wicked smile curl across the aged, feral mouth. "I can sense it now, and see it in their eyes. They may not be fully fledged, but you have Thundercats. Do you know the old legends? The blade draws together servants, binds their hearts to the bearer…the Anointment Trials are not so secret as the Imperials might wish. I know exactly who you are now. And they don't, but they are united to you anyway…you have passed with flying colors, congratulations. I'm sure your father will be proud."

Lion-O's face went white. She held up a hand. "But that's not important now. Chilla, kill all of them. Save Lion-O, if you can. He'd be worth an army's worth of gold alive, and that's a resource to be considered."

Tygra glanced at Lion-O, brows furrowed, but Cheetara bared her teeth. "Vile witch. Creator have mercy on you if you die here." She lunged forward and Chilla delved in to meet her.

Ice hardened across the feminine hands, catching her staff, and Cheetara ducked and swung, trying to sweep her legs out from under her. Chilla was quick and leaped over it, kicking for Cheetara's middle and using the ice to block her strikes. Neither of them could land a blow as they twisted and danced, Cheetara's speed matching Chilla's icy powers and gusts.

Lunata herself opened her hands and the temperature dropped by thirty degrees. The magma far below seemed to cool and ice crept down the stone. The machinery sorting mutation slowed to a stop and Tygra warily took out his whip. Lion-O looked up toward the mutated in their enchanted sleep.

"We need to get them out," he said suddenly, faintly, and it was as if he'd doused them with a hot bath. Cheetara socked Chilla in the jaw and retreated, standing beside Panthro. "I think I see the lever, it's up on the catwalk. There are two locking mechanisms, if we can lower the pen to the mouth of the entry we can let them into a tunnel-"

"You idiots! The world will be consumed and you're worried about those hairy animals?" Lunata bared her nails and knifing cold sliced into their skins and Cheetara felt something sharp across her arms. Snowflakes – but they were like blades, splinters of metal – flew from the hands and Cheetara ducked and rolled to avoid them, feeling tendrils of hair cutting loose. She glared up at the woman and with a well-aimed jerk, plunged the end of her staff into the Luna's stomach.

Lunata grunted and the temperature eased. Chilla shrieked – was she amused or angry? – and dashed toward Panthro. "Hold on!" he snapped, Lion-O latching on by reflex. Then he swung himself up onto one of the catwalks and started running, Chilla in pursuit like a little girl chasing a boy on a playground.

"He can handle her," Tygra said. Cheetara nodded; Panthro would beat some sense into her. Lunata was their real threat, glaring as she nursed her middle.

They leaped toward her and snow erupted all around them, burying their lungs in cold.

* * *

Panthro was ready for this stupid venture to be over. He'd had to deal with not one, not three, but five kids – yes, Lion-O and Tygra and Cheetara were still kids – and gotten more attached than he'd wanted. He'd helped save teddies and Snarfs, orphans and sailors, soldiers and sickly, and had his tail and leg broken. Not only that, but he'd lost his charge and gotten him back again, and now this stupid Luna wouldn't let up cackling and hurling ice their way.

So it could not be said that it was unprovoked when he stopped, turned around, and faced her. Chilla drew up sharp, eyes widening. "If you don't quit this idiocy right now, I'm gonna punch you. Even if you're a woman. This is your only warning." He glared at her, aware of Lion-O hanging on to his neck. She blinked at him innocently.

"I'd be very surprised if some whore's son can hit someone as powerful as me." Panthro's eyes widened.

Chilla must have thought he would be slow, for she didn't even have time to look pained when he rammed his fist into her jaw and sent her flying across the catwalk. Lion-O's claws dug into his shirt in surprise as she hit the metal and made it tremble with the impact. Chilla lay still for a minute and Panthro wondered if he'd accidentally killed her.

Then she sat up, head at a wrong angle, and used her hands to pop it back in place. Her dark eyes were slits. "Well now. That was mean."

Again she came close and this time she was like a frozen harpy, all claws and screeches. Panthro brought up his nunchuks to ward her off, landing glancing blows and ignoring the cuts from her claws. She was not physically strong but she was fast, and magic rolled off her in a stench.

Panthro became aware after five full minutes of fighting that Lion-O wasn't on his back anymore.

0

The room was warmer than any he'd been in for days, and Lion-O soaked up the heat like a plant devouring sunlight as he moved down the catwalk. Panthro and Chilla were locked in battle, neither willing to give an inch, and he could see splashes of light and crackles of electricity from the battle being waged against Lunata. Black stripes and golden fur blazed back and forth, heckling her as he moved down the walkway.

The first lever was attached to one corner of the cage, bolted into the stone face of the crater. Lion-O grabbed it and pulled it down. A faint light flickered beside it, a small, dirty screen. "Override lock protocol?" it asked. Lion-O pressed "yes" and paused as he looked toward the other lever. The pen began to lower, rocking under his feet to meet one of the nearest tunnels. A metal path extended, interlocking with the catwalk.

Would this wake them? Would they wander into Lune itself and kill the citizens? Would it send them into the northern wilds? Where would they be released. He glanced back at the battles, dizzy with new uncertainty. The smell from here was incredible, distant heat and hairy bodies, and Lion-O looked around helplessly.

Much to his surprise, Amok was sitting in the tunnel. He jumped. "When did you get there?"

"Amok hear fighting. Amok come to see. You letting…them…out?" His arm was nearly healed, skin pale and frosty again. Lion-O nodded. "This let them out into north. Mama told Amok to use storm to push them down tunnel, into cage. Be mad if they get out."

Lion-O leaned against the wall. "Lunata is going to kill my friends. Just like she killed your Nana. Just like she's killed lots of innocent, kind people. You don't have to do what she says, Amok."

Amok looked suddenly terrified. "Amok can't, Amok can't…"

Lion-O opened his mouth.

Pain. Lightning. Fury. He fell to his knees, screaming, and he heard Panthro echo him in rage. Lunata's aim was good and she was swarming up the catwalk with terrifying speed, purple light blazing from her hands. "Don't move!" she barked, and Lion-O felt gnarled fingers pulling his ponytail, forcing his head up. "I'll snap his neck if you dare test me!"

Tygra was bleeding from a cut on his forehead and his eyes were yellow, livid embers. "You cheater." He had followed her up the catwalk and was shifting, millimeter by millimeter, in their direction. "We start to beat you and you bail."

Cheetara lurked behind him, brown eyes brighter than lava. Panthro's had turned to steel and Lion-O wondered at how much like wild animals they looked. Something wet hit the ground and he stared at it. Some kind of purple splotch?

Luna blood. Lunata's blood. "You're weaker than I expected," he observed distantly. "I guess without your walls of magic you're really a disappointing little witch."

Lightning crackled through him again and he gasped. "Do you have any idea who this is?" she snapped, yellow teeth showing. "You've helped and followed him, come to rescue him, obeyed his orders, and you don't even know who he is? Of course not, it's part of the rules. If you did know you'd surrender, because if he dies your entire kingdom is going to-"

Lion-O would never forget the squawk of disbelief Lunata made as she was plucked off of him. It was something like the affront Snarf had when Panthro had bluntly told him that he smelled. Dangling by the back of her robe she kicked and flailed, and Lion-O looked from the comical sight to his aid.

Amok held Lunata by the back of the dress like a pup's mother holds his scruff. "No Mama. Being very mean!" he bellowed. She stopped, jaw hanging. "Amok love Mama, but Mama do bad things! When Amok do bad, Mama punish Amok! So Amok say Mama need to be punished." His dark, beady eyes were menacing and the air seemed colder.

"Amok say…Mama need time out." He put her down and shook a stern finger in her face. "Mama go to room!"

The pause was deafening. Tygra threw up his hands. "Are you kidding me!?"

Lion-O plowed into Amok's side just in time; Lunata hurled lightning at him that smelled of a storm and a corpse, and Amok cowered as the air split above his head. Lion-O dove for Lunata and grappled with her, reaching into her billowing sleeve. She shrieked in outrage and hurled him back with icy wind. Tygra grabbed him as he flew back, keeping him from being flying off the catwalk. "She's got the Sword of Omens in her sleeve," Lion-O panted.

Cheetara's was a molten blur, scratching her claws across the fabric and the old woman's forearm as she snatched the blade. Lunata howled in anger as Cheetara skipped back, Lion-O following the move with wonder. How a sprint could be jubilant and victorious he didn't know, but Cheetara brimmed with it all.

Not just her. The Sword of Omens had flashed with yellow light when she touched it. She tossed it to him and life flooded into him the second the hilt touched his palm. Lion-O inhaled, ran his thumb over the jewel. He was afraid of it and trusted it. It was justice and it was calm.

It belonged in his hands.

Lion-O shook his head and started a slow retreat. "Guys, we need to get out of here. Someone hit the lever and then we go."

Lunata cradled her arm and Lion-O noted that the long purple wound was very much like Amok's had been. Amok watched them and then Lunata, uncertain, but Lion-O gestured for him to come. At the same time Tygra snapped his whip and the lever flipped up, pulled by the steady cord.

Lunata flung her head back, white hair wild. "No." An alarm blared and Lion-O felt himself being lifted. He shook free of Panthro's bruised arm – bruises? He'd been fighting Chilla, where was she? – and looked at Lunata as she grinned wildly at them. The mutated were stirring, growling, and her lips seemed black with fury.

"I can rebuild this. And you won't stop me." She lifted a finger.

The crater around them cracked and Lion-O gasped when the catwalk shuddered. "What are you doing!?" Tygra snapped, gripping the rail as it shook again.

"This place was sealed with magic. The palace rests atop what I discovered two hundred years ago had become a caldera. I immediately sealed the ice and crystal with magic to keep anything from shifting or melting." She sighed blissfully. "It feels nice have one less spell to power."

The ceiling rumbled and Lion-O heard the mutated begin roaring and snarling, rattling the metal cage as the front ones managed to squeeze into the carved tunnel to escape. Instinct would guide them to safety. "You plan to die here?"

"No. I do expect to kill them." She pointed at Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro. "And you, unless you surrender. You'd be valuable alive, but now that I think on it…"

Her lips puckered. "I'd really like to see you cook." With that Lunata jumped the distance to the nearest catwalk, ignoring the capsules along the wall as they fell, shattering across the rock like green paint.

* * *

"Never felt an earthquake like this." Kit sat in the branches of the tree with her arms around her legs, shivering. "Feels like it's coming from close."

The courtyard of the Palace of the Moon was pristine and beautiful, a flat white expanse that stretched for nearly two miles. The trees were placed in perfect lines, dark blue trunks with translucent leaves – perhaps they were magical, and not real trees at all? – and from where they had hidden they could see the palace's diamond doors. The building was massive to be so distant and cold, and Kat sighed from the branch beneath her.

"Hope they got him. I can't believe it…we make it into the castle and the first thing Panthro says is, 'Okay, now find a tree and stay there.'"

"I can't believe it took a whole hour to get to a tree. And why a tree? I'll bet it's 'cause he knew there were a bunch of 'em far away," Kit said. She cocked her head again. "How many guards do you think Panthro took down?"

"Not as many as Cheetara! She was mad." Kat shuffled on his branch, leaning on the trunk. "She's kinda pretty, huh?"

"Yeah. But I think she likes Lion-O." He gave her a sharp look and Kit shrugged. "You don't think so?"

"He likes her, but I don't know if she likes him back. Not that I guess it matters." She gave him a sympathetic smile. "What?"

"Kat, we're ten. She's a grownup. Not gonna happen."

"I know!" His cheeks were scarlet. "Just saying I don't know if she likes him is all. She's nice to everybody."

Snarf, on the other hand, was swiveling his ears constantly, fur bristling. "That's not an earthquake. Something's wrong." He used his claws to slide down the trunk and flicked his tail. "Come on, we need to move."

"If it's not an earthquake, what is it?" Kit climbed down and Kat followed, feeling the ground tremble against his feet through the snow. "Maybe the glacier's melting?"

Snarf didn't reply immediately. He was looking toward the Palace of the Moon. Kit thought it a beautiful building but hated the sight of it; the lady that had taken their parents – taken Lion-O – lived in that cold, unforgiving place. Even now she might have dungeons of people there.

Mama and Daddy had told them stories of Lune. "The castle is one big piece of moon crystal, with ice built onto it," Daddy had said sagely. "The Luna woman who lives there is a powerful witch. But no one's sure what stories about her are true. What we do know is that she doesn't like Thundera."

She remembered huddling close to him in fear. "Will she hurt us?"

"Not a bit! Not so long as the king has the Sword of Omens. No evil can stand against it. So don't be afraid little Kit. If she ever did somehow make it here, I'd send her off." He made exaggerated, theatrical attack motions and she remembered laughing.

Now her eyes burned and she wondered if Lunata had their parents locked in a dark hole. Mama hated tunnels, so much. Claws-truh-foe-be-uh, was that the word? Snarf shook her from her thoughts as he tapped her ankle, hard. "It's sinking."

"Huh?" She blinked back the tears. The palace stood. And then – so slowly that she had to gauge it by the sun's height versus the tallest tower – Kit saw that it was. The Palace of the Moon was sinking into the ground.

Her feet burned as she ran through the snow, Snarf a red blotch bouncing in and out of the snow as they pelted toward the building.

* * *

Cheetara made it to the opening to the stairs first. "We'll have to go out the main gate! The tunnels are sinking!" she heard Tygra say. The catwalks and machinery processing the mutation were collapsing, splintering like metal strips and falling, and she gripped the nearest railing tightly to give it support and keep it from buckling. Tygra made it, then Panthro and Lion-O, the latter stumbling.

"Will they get out?" Lion-O pointed to the pen, nearly empty. Panthro pushed him between the shoulder blades.

"We've given them all the chance we can. We need to get out, now. There's nothing more we can do." Lion-O's wide blue turned to her and Cheetara nodded, grabbing his hand.

"Come on, the castle's going to fall. They'll make it." She pulled and he followed, running for the stairs. She wished she were stronger, so she could bear them all up, up and out of the dying palace. Before they reached the stairs Cheetara heard a terrible, slurping noise and glanced back.

"Guys. Guys!" The floor trembled under their feet and Tygra petitioned the Creator as the low lava – a distant band of gold from their vantage point – rose ever so slightly. And then a little more.

"Something's broken. The lava's rising. Come on!" Tygra didn't bother asking Lion-O if he wanted help; he knelt on the stair and Cheetara nudged Lion-O.

"I can-"

"No you can't, shut up and climb on!" Lion-O obeyed and yelped when Tygra jumped up and bounded up the stairs carrying him on his back, clearing three at a time. Cheetara was swifter, Panthro bringing up the rear. She saw small droplets of blood running from his thigh; Chilla's ice had cut him.

The stairs were gone and they were in the grand, crystalline foyer within ten breaths. Cheetara couldn't remember moving as fast as they did then, and the pillars flashed by in cracking blurs, purple carpets and blue tassels under their running feet. Cheetara felt the floor quake again and saw the great doors – nearly black ice, carved like stone – and got ready to ram them.

A wave of ice crusted over the doors and Cheetara screeched to a halt, heels burning against the lush carpet. Lunata's eyes were wild, malevolent, watching them from one of the great, stained-ice windows above the door. She continued laying down ice, baring her yellow teeth in a vicious grin. "Break through that! No Arietta bird to rescue you now!"

Lion-O slid off Tygra's back and looked up at her, face suddenly calm. Cheetara remembered the kittens being told they could come on the venture – remembered that awful, golden glory – and his face brimmed with it now, stately as the palace shook. Lunata saw it too; her expression shifted to alarm and her purple lips curled in repulsion.

The Sword of Omens flared golden and Lion-O lifted it, not as if to swing but as if to raise it high in victory. The hilt's curled decorations were just far enough apart that they looked like the rims of glasses around his blue eyes. Cheetara shivered in anticipation.

The stone screamed. Fiery light erupted from it, shooting like a star into Lunata. She echoed it, agonizing, and Cheetara had to cover her ears against the shriek battering her ears.

When she lowered her hands Lion-O looked as tired as before and Lunata was gone. Tygra was shaking his head and Panthro shutting his eyes tightly. "She…did you…" Tygra managed.

"No. We haven't seen the last of her. That…was a warning." Lion-O slide the sword into its sheath. "She'll be prepared next time."

"Yeah, well, at least she's a moron." Tygra pointed to the windows a mere story above their heads. There were five on each side of the now thickly-sealed door. "Take your pick."

Panthro gave Cheetara a boost and she leaped to the panes, using a large chunk of ice to break through them. The floor was starting to crack and one of the pillars had collapsed, providing good-sized lumps to crack the windows. She used the staff to clear the sharpest pieces and lowered it to Tygra. "Come on, let's get out of this Ghen-hole," she called.

Tygra climbed it and helped her hold it steady for Lion-O and Panthro. "I can't believe you used 'Ghen' in vain," he said, almost amused.

"I didn't." She shifted to make room on the sill for Lion-O and Panthro – it was a tight fight but Panthro could squeeze through the thin window – and made to jump down. "This is really a hive of villainy and witchery."

"Mama!"

She stopped and turned back. At the other end of the foyer was a familiar shape, hulking and hobbling down the carpet. Amok was dragging one deformed foot. Lion-O's face was stricken. "She didn't make sure he got out?"

"She's evil. Why would she?" Panthro was deadpan. Amok stopped before the door and turned in a circle. "There's no way he'll fit through a window."

Lion-O stared down. "We have to break through the door."

Tygra's jaw dropped. "Lion-O, he's one of them!"

"He's not. He's been used. He doesn't deserve to die like this." Amok looked back over his shoulder as the world shook harder and wailed, running to the door and pounding on the uneven icy surface with frightened fists.

"Mama! Mama forget Amok! Help, Mamaaa!"

Tygra gritted his teeth. "Oh…fine! Being the good guys sucks sometimes!" Lion-O jumped down, Cheetara right behind him.

"Amok." The brute hesitated, turning his head to Lion-O. His beady eyes were white around rims, wild. "Hey, it's okay. We're going to help."

Amok was breathing hard and Cheetara was reminded of a wild animal, taken with rabies. She hurried to Amok's side, staff lowered, voice dipping low and honeyed. "Hey sweetie. I need you to calm down, all right? We're going to help get the door open but you have to be calm and help."

He paused, blinking at her. Cheetara smiled encouragingly, patting his arm. She was careful to avoid the scratch. "I'm Cheetara. It's okay. Let us help get it open so we can leave this nasty old place, hm?" As if by magic Amok nodded, moving away from the door. The kind voice seemed strange to him. Panthro went to examine it immediately.

"We can't make a hole, it would take too long. Ice is thinner at the edges. We should go for the hinges. She made it thicker but there's still a seam where the door ended and the wall started." He pointed to a slightly indented portion of the icy mass. "Here."

Tygra took the last vial from his belt and doused the slump, cracking his whip and setting it aflame. Amok whimpered and Cheetara patted him soothingly, whirling her staff with her free hand to build the charge in the blades. As the fire guttered out Lion-O jammed the Sword of Omens in the growing crack and she heard something splitting thinly.

A greedy gulping noise made her look back and realize that the floor was sloping downward and that she could feel the palace falling more and more. If it fell loose entirely, they would be cast headlong into the depths of lava.

Lion-O pulled the sword free and Panthro rammed the place. The crack was a sweet, fierce sound but Cheetara felt the floor moving still. "Lion-O! They found you!" Kat and Kit were in the window, Kat holding Snarf around the belly. "What's going on!?"

"Palace is sinking! Lava under it! Help us get the door open for Amok from the outside!" If the kittens thought Lion-O's orders strange they said nothing. The tiny sound of kitten body ramming against the wall was tiny in that dying place.

Panthro rammed it again, and when he backed up, Cheetara plowed in at high speed. The thunks were gratifying as the crack opened a little more each time, Tygra following and Lion-O last. Every moment a new body hit the wall, further splitting it. The kittens jostled the bits of ice looser. Amok was staring with wide eyes. "Why you stay? You die if you stay. Amok…Mama leave Amok to die."

Lion-O showed his teeth and rammed the wall. "Because we save everyone we can!" Thunk. "Because you're a person!" Thunk. "Why should anyone need a reason?" Thunk. "To save a life?" Thunk.

Amok looked toward the other end of the foyer. The floor was starting to crumble and Cheetara looked to the window. Lion-O saw this and continued, "Cheetara, Tygra, Panthro. You don't need to stay."

"If anyone needs to leave, it's you," Panthro snapped. "I'll stay, you lot go!"

"Don't give me that crap," Tygra shot back. "I'm not ducking out that easy!"

Cheetara struck the wall. "I'm not leaving without you crazy boys!"

"Move." Amok's voice was low, deep as the rumbling of the ice cracking under them. "Amok can open it now."

The four shared a glance and stepped back. Amok dug in his short, stunted legs and forced his fingers into the ice.

Then he pushed off, roaring like a mad bull, lowering his thick head and crossing his broad arms in front of him. The crack was blown apart, ice a foot thick, and the kittens – whom Snarf had whisked out of the way not a moment too soon – looked shocked to see him ram by and trip, rolling forward in a snowy plop. Lion-O blinked within the great hole before following him out. "That was…really good Amok."

Amok looked up and smiled. A huge bruise was starting along his arms and one horn had cracked off. "Amok like Lion-O and cats. We leave now?"

The palace seemed to groan and Panthro picked up both kittens under his arms. "Definitely." Snarf snagged a hold in Lion-O's cloak, a pathetic, tattered mess now, and they ran for the edge of the courtyard.

Five minutes. At a full sprint, no stops, that was how long it took Amok and the cats to make it two miles. At the end Cheetara felt good; it was a pleasant jog for her, although the snow burned and her face was probably bright pink from the stinging wind. The others all fell to their knees, heaving, and Amok rolled up on his side as if to go to sleep in the thick, comforting snow.

She lifted her head and watched for two minutes. Below them now was solid ice, and only the faintest of tremors touched their feet. The three spires of the Palace of the Moon seemed to waver valiantly as the ice slipped into the pit. Then they were gone, sunk into the dark. The shaking stopped.

The palace had sank below the surface. Cheetara sighed and leaned against the nearest tree. No one said anything for a minute, too busy catching their breath. Lion-O in particular was exhausted, red hair falling around his face, ponytail limp with sweat.

"Made it." Tygra pumped a fist in the air. "We totally just took out a mutation hub. And freed the Mutated in the pen. We'll have to give them antimutagen later, but...I think they can handle themselves for a little while. And we didn't die like she wanted. Chalk one up for us."

The kittens didn't ask about their parents. They were too busy jumping on Lion-O and hugging him, Kit giving him kisses on the cheek and Kat thumping him hard on the back. Snarf looked droopy and was covered in frost, but smiled at the sight.

"We knew you'd be okay. We knew," Kat declared. Lion-O managed a smile, cheeks pink with the run.

Then the wind became violent and blasted the kittens back, and something pure white shot out and grabbed Lion-O by the throat and pulled him into the branches of the nearest tree. Cheetara was confused for a full second before she realized what she was seeing. Chilla's dark, shiny eyes were looking wicked and mischievous, one arm tight around Lion-O's neck. And before he could twist away, she opened her pretty mouth and bared her teeth, sharp and clear as icicles, and sank them into his neck.

Lion-O grew rigid, pupils contracting. His hands seemed frozen in midair, reaching to throw her off. The cats stood entranced, horrified, for the half second it took her to pull her teeth free and give the wound – and the warm, smooth skin along the side of Lion-O's neck – a lustful lick.

Then she let go of him and he fell from the branch. Panthro shot forward to catch him and Cheetara leaped into the tree, missing Chilla with her staff by an inch. The girl let out a vile cackle and ran, disappearing into the snow. Amok bellowed after her, pounding his hands on the ground.

Cheetara's vision melted into wild red. That evil, sadistic, monstrous witch deserved to be beaten with a stick, and Cheetara wanted to be the one who did it. But she whirled to see Lion-O when she heard Tygra's voice rise.

"Lion-O? Lion-O, say something." Lion-O had turned white under his fur and Cheetara felt his face. His skin was clammy, cool, and his lips a shade of blue. Her heart started pounding hard, dizzy, and she looked up at Panthro.

"What do we do? Do Luna have venom glands?" He nodded, faintly.

"Not always, but when they do, the stuff can induce hypothermia…freeze you from the inside…"

And suddenly Amok was beside them, prodding Lion-O. He frowned and opened a pouch at his waist and pulled out a red vial. "This help. Need to take to warm place, healer. Soon." He poured the substance liberally over the wound and tipped the last of it between Lion-O's lips. Tygra shot the Luna a suspicious look but Lion-O gasped, as if he'd been pulled from under the water, and the suspicion disappeared. "Need find healer, now! Amok have only little bit of potion left!"

"Would anyone in Lune help?" Kit asked. Her eyes were wide, not yet teary, but her tail bristled with anxiety. Cheetara stripped off her cloak and put it over Lion-O. Tygra did the same, and Lion-O's eyes stared at the sky, not responding.

"Well we have to try!" Tygra pointed to the gate of the courtyard. "Are there any healers that can treat mammals in Lune?"

Amok shook his head. "No doctor for cats here. Only one, and Mama put her in prison. She could help. But no warm place in Lune…all cold for Luna. Doctor worked in library when she got old. Taught Nana much, Nana teach Amok. Name Frigid."

Cheetara's fur stood up. "Frigid! We met her! Tygra, she was going to your mother's for sanctuary-!"

Panthro started running. "We need to get to the tank and back to Icla. We'll keep Lion-O warm until then!"

Amok opened the gate for them, pulling the heavy diamond doors apart. The guards that remained at their posts fled when he growled at them and the cats sprinted down the main street of Lune. Luna that had seen the spires of the palace disappear had come out of their homes to see what had happened, and now they screamed and ran indoors. Cheetara saw terror in the eyes of the children.

She's going to pin it on us, she realized. The palace sinking. She's going to say we did it. No one would believe she would sink her own palace. This might start a war.

Cheetara heard Lion-O breathing and left the thought behind. "It'll take us hours to get through the city, even on the main road. Can't we slide, or are there flying machines?"

"As if anyone would fly one for us." Tygra was holding his ribs, clutching a stitch. "The land has an incline, we could sled if we had-"

Crack. They looked to see Amok pulling down an icy slab that had served as a sign for a jeweler. The high, arching buildings and beautiful street was a white blur as he put it down on the road. Then he shuffled to Tygra. "Have rope?"

"Huh? Uh…" Tygra trailed off, handing him his whip. Amok studied it and looped it around his broad shoulders and began tying the ends to a post of the sign. "What are you doing?"

"Amok good sled puller. Mama used to have Amok carry her, or pull sled. Amok move fast on ice. Get on."

Cheetara thought of the poor creature lugging a sleigh like a beast of burden and darted to his side. "Thank you Amok! That's very kind of you." She pecked his cheek and the creature gave her a funny, pleased look.

The going was fast after that. The slab was not an ideal sled and the kittens had to cling to Snarf and Panthro to keep from flying off when they hit curbs and Amok jostled them, but the road sped by in a rush. Cheetara saw the gate to Lune approach, swelling before Amok's burly run. When the road inclined more steeply, he hopped on the edge of the slab and held it steady as they careened down the flat surface. He would jump off as their momentum faded and barrel forward again, using the ice to speed himself.

It took nearly an hour to get through the whole city. Cheetara looked at Panthro and the bundle of cloaks that held Lion-O. She and Tygra worked to block the worst of the wind and Snarf climbed into the cloaks to warm them with his fluffy body. Lion-O never stirred, as if he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open.

But he breathed. His lips moved with his breath.

Amok didn't bother stopping the sled when they came to Lune's gate; he jumped forward and sent it flying open, the guards shrieking when the explosive force came through. Tygra leaned forward so Amok could hear him. "Left, the Thundertank is hidden in the snow!" As the ice ran out and turned to thick snow they climbed off, running again. Cheetara's legs ached now, after being stationary and cold, and she knew the others had to be really suffering. Amok gave the whip back to Tygra, who thumped him on the back. "Not bad Amok."

The kittens reached the tank first and scuttled over it, brushing snow away from the windshield and the wheels. The doors opened with a thick resistance, and Panthro gestured for Cheetara to get in first. Then he all but laid Lion-O in her lap and the kittens shot in after to bundle around him. Their faces were clammy but their bodies were hot from running again. The door shut on them and Cheetara held Lion-O to her front, face to her neck, wondering if he could hear them.

* * *

Cheetara didn't speak as the Thundertank tore through the snow and it worried Tygra. He took his place in the passenger seat and squinted as the tank's windshield fogged with heat. Amok was sitting on top of the tank, holding on for dear life as Panthro gunned it. A frightening howl emanated from above them and the snow around them seemed to ease, visibility improving.

"He was the one bringing down snow in the mountains." Kit said this with wonder and Tygra's claws dug into the dash. If Lion-O hadn't spared him, where would they be now? His mind was in a rush and it was all he could do to force himself not to think of what would happen if Lion-O got too cold and stopped breathing.

The snow started again in spite of the protesting cries of Amok. "Lunata. She knows we made it out," Cheetara said. Amok managed to keep the air around the tank clear, but beyond it became a whirling mass of white and mist, and the sky and horizon and roads all vanished.

"Do you know where you're going?" Tygra asked quietly. Panthro made a sound in the affirmative but squinted harder. "If we get lost he's going to die."

"…Can't make out the paths. If we take a wrong one it'll take too long to get to Cicle and Icla." Panthro was still bleeding, Tygra saw the redness. He pulled his claws from the dash and looked back. Cheetara and the kittens and Snarf were all warm around him. It wasn't fair, they'd just gotten him back and that stupid Luna-

"We're going to make it. We have to." Tygra mouthed the words, thinking of telling Lion-O about his parents. He'd been a little tipsy sure, but Lion-O had taken the story with honesty, with friendship. Tygra had only ever told Cheetara the tale before, but Lion-O…he didn't bring it up, didn't dig in for details. He accepted it and didn't look any differently. No pity. No horror. Things were just the same as before.

"On my honor we're going to make it. Lion-O you idiot…don't you dare make me a liar."

Tygra turned back to the dash and froze.

There was something golden standing in front of the tank. It glowed in the wind and snow and was looking directly at them. He glanced at Panthro; the cat didn't react, cursing as he tried to make out the road. "Do you see that?"

"See what?" Panthro followed his gaze. "You see the road?"

Tygra shook his head. "I see…a glowing cat."

Panthro paused. "Did you get hit in the head?"

"Don't know. But it's staring at me. It looks…kind of like a mutant. But not. I mean, it doesn't act or look crazy. It's got gray eyes, looks gold all over." Tygra rubbed his eyes hard. "Now it's moving to the left. I think…"

It looked at him over its shoulder. Its golden, molten fur was easy to spot in the snow, bright as sunlight and almost as painful. Tygra looked at its face and felt the word so hot and thick in his head that it was louder than if it were spoken.

Follow.

"Move over. I'm driving." Tygra shoved Panthro's arm. "Go tie up your leg."

"Excuse me?"

"If I don't Lion-O dies." Tygra's heart was racing – crazy, this was crazy, he was following a hallucination? – and he shoved Panthro more insistently. "Move! I have to follow it."

"Tygra, I don't know what's gotten into you, but there's no way-"

"Trust him." Lion-O's voice was soft, and his eyes were still glassy. The silence in the tank was deafening and he continued, "Follow her. She protects me."

His voice faded. Cheetara and the kittens looked at Panthro and Tygra, and Snarf curled up tighter against the cloaks. Then Panthro shifted out of the driver's seat and Tygra hopped in.

I'm driving the tank. I'm driving the Thundertank with Panthro's permission. Tygra fixed his eyes on the golden cat and the wheels sped up as the creature started running. It never stopped, never looked back, and Tygra didn't slow down. It ran in perfect silence and grace across the snow.

The snow didn't matter. The cat ran and Tygra followed, the hum of the engine fading out of his mind as he focused on keeping up. It didn't leave any footprints in the snow but the molten glow of its hide couldn't have been easier to see.

It stopped and turned and Tygra had to hit the brakes. He felt the tank slide in the snow and the cat was only two feet from the windshield, looking at him. It was tall as Panthro, thick, and it reminded him of something that he couldn't place. The silvery eyes blinked once and it inclined its head.

Thank you.

It vanished and Tygra blinked. "It's gone. Why did it-?"

Lights flicked on and he jumped. Foxes were running out to them in his mother's household colors. As the snow faded he could see her manor, and realized that they were within the gates. He gaped for a moment and then climbed out into the snow. Amok was huddled on the top of the vehicle, shy and nervous, and Tygra looked at the vixens. "Where's my mom and the Luna named Frigid?"

* * *

Frigid was the only Luna Cheetara had ever seen stand any measure of heat. She sat beside the bed with a fire blazing in the corner and paid it no attention, delicate limbs drifting over Lion-O's face and the wound. "She's got powerful venom. Who gave him Mercy's Blood?"

"Amok. The Luna outside. At least, it was some kind of red potion." Cheetara sat beside her, handing her things. Lion-O had been stripped to his smallclothes and was perfectly still. Frigid traced a finger down his neck and frowned.

"I see. He's gotten very good at making it. Matrae, you have some in your infirmary?"

Matrae nodded. Tygra was sitting in the corner and she had been hovering over him, but now she left and returned in a minute with several red vials. Frigid gave Lion-O a grave look. "This will restore his temperature, but he's so far gone I have to give him a large dose. He runs the risk of dying from fever. We'll have to keep him cool after this."

"What? But he's so cold." Kat and Kit sat beside her, as no one had been able to convince them to leave the room.

"Yes, but Mercy's Blood stimulates heat in the body. It will warm him up, but the body isn't meant to be too hot any more than it's meant to be too cold. Mammals are fickle. It will overheat him unless we keep him cool after it's administered."

"So you can't just give him one dose?" Panthro asked.

"He's at death's door. I have to risk too much to have a chance." Cheetara nodded and Frigid used a gentle finger to prize Lion-O's mouth open and trickled the vial's contents in. Cheetara lifted his head a little and he swallowed automatically. They did this with the second vial and immediately Frigid pointed to the kittens. "We have a few minutes. Get cool water and help prepare some cool tea. Lower the fire, change the sheets to something thin. I want water on towels and I'll place them." Frigid was giving orders and Cheetara suddenly felt a hundred times better, galvanized into action. If she could do something, she could help. Snarf dashed with the kittens and two foxes, ready to help make a brew. Tygra stood up to adjust the fire and Panthro went for the sheets and towels. Cheetara went to get a bucket to hold the water.

When they returned Lion-O was moving. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he was panting, eyes wide open. "He won't be lucid. He'll probably start seeing things." Frigid had placed a cool hand at the base of his skull and when Cheetara gave her a towel with water the woman wrapped it around the back of his neck. "Another." This one went over his head, special attention being paid to cooling his ears. Several others followed, located under his arms, on his wrists, ankles, and groin. Cheetara marveled at Frigid's clipped, careful motions.

"Have you done this a lot?" she managed. Frigid tucked a thin sheet over Lion-O and beckoned for the tea.

"Many times. I was the only Luna interested in learning how to help warm blooded creatures. Mercy's Blood is helpful, but only if you know how to deal with the aftermath. He's already weak from his torture." She pointed at his wrists. "Lunata used to set people to hang for a while. I know the marks." They were raw and had deep grooves, and Cheetara remembered seeing him, Chilla whispering to him, and forced the red memory back.

"Why not just put him in cold water?" Kit asked, tail lashing. She was leaning over the side of the bed and Panthro gently tugged her back.

"Because then he'd go into shock. It's bad enough to heat him up so quickly, but his heart might stop if we dumped him in freezing water. We have to gradually lower it." Frigid made him drink the brew. He sputtered afterwards.

"Poison. Tea tastes like poison. Bitter. Why does Tygra like the stuff…?"

It was so good to hear his voice that Cheetara laughed. Tygra hesitated before saying, "Poor guy really is delusional."

"He may say very strange things." Frigid, for the first time, wiped a hand across her brow and Cheetara saw sweat pouring down it. The heat had hurt her after all. "Ice water for me please. Ghen with it, bring me a lump of ice to suck on."

Panthro did so and she stuck it absently in her cheek. Lion-O blinked at her and laughed. "You look like…Snarf when he carries nuts in his mouth." His laughter quieted. "Sorry. Not supposed to laugh at people. Father always said it wasn't nice."

Cheetara and Tygra shared a sharp look. Lion-O had never said a single word about his family. Panthro looked alarmed. Lion-O seemed to notice and whispered, "Right, never mind. Can't talk about that. Shhh. How about Berbils? I liked the Berbils, they were nice. They Ber-Boooowled into Tug-Mug didn't they?"

"I'm sure they did," Frigid said gently. "I'll tend him for now. You lot go get some treatment yourselves."

Cheetara looked at her in surprise. "Huh?"

"You're half-frozen. Get some clothes that breathe on and rest on a warm bed. The tiger's okay, just needs some sleep. He's had a shock or two." She pointed at Tygra, then to the kittens. "They're worn out. Give them something without sugar to settle their stomachs and help them sleep. Running across Lune itself…and you, panther, need stitches."

Blood had run down his pant leg and Panthro's nostrils flared. Matrae called for the servants and tutted, examining the wound. "Come on, I can do that at least. I have some balm to numb the wound." He didn't move for a moment, looking at Lion-O with wary mistrust.

Snarf sat beside Lion-O, not quite touching him. "I'll remain here. I'm not as tired as the rest of you."

Panthro's jaw softened and he nodded, following Matrae out the door. Tygra followed and Cheetara paused reluctantly. "I'll watch him. You can come back after you've rested."

"But what if something happens?" They had just gotten him back to have him nearly die in their arms. Lion-O's eyes followed nothing in particular along the ceiling, unnaturally bright and blue.

"Time is the only thing that will help him now. I can manage. I'll call for a servant if I need help." Two of the nearby wolves nodded earnestly. "Go."

She obeyed after giving Lion-O one more worried look.

* * *

Tygra watched in sleepy bemusement as his mother swapped between stitching Panthro's leg and – of all things – pampering Amok. Panthro would permit no extraneous fretting over his wellbeing and once he was stitched and bandaged he sat in a chair looking grumpy. So Matrae turned her attention instead to the deformed Luna.

Amok didn't seem to know how to take it at first. She took care of his scratches after she'd sat him on a large couch in one of the guest rooms, a little cooler than most. Amok whimpered when she took care of one on his arm and she crooned, "I know, I know. It stings right now. But it'll heal up soon, just you wait! Here, this'll make it better quicker." She kissed the bandage and patted the horned head like a beloved nephew. "There, that's much nicer isn't it?"

The Luna gaped. It didn't look too different from his normal expression. Matrae sent for fresh clothes for all of them, soup and bread for Panthro and Tygra, and some bread and sheegoat meat for Amok, along with a generous vase full of milk. "I think we have cookies as well. Boys, do you want cookies with yours?"

Tygra said yes, Panthro no. Amok's eyes shone at the mention of sweets. "Amok have…one cookie…please?"

"Of course dear. Is that your name? Amok? I'm Matrae, Tygra's mother." She pointed fondly in his direction and Amok looked between the two of them.

"Have stripes like Tygra."

"Yes. We're both tigers. Now let's see, I think we can do better than one cookie."

Amok ate like a dumb animal. He shoveled food into his mouth and chewed loudly, as if he were going to lose his plate in a minute. Tygra paused over his bowl and felt something like pity in the pit of his stomach. Perhaps Lunata would take his food?

Matrae put a gentle hand on Amok's head. "Dear, you don't have to eat so fast. You take your time. Have you ever used a fork?"

Amok ceased eating. "…No. Nana try to teach Amok, but that when Mama…"

His beady eyes became wet. Tygra was beginning to understand why Lion-O had spared him. Panthro sipped at the bowl of broth in silence, watching the pair as Matrae sat down beside Amok. "It's never too late to learn. Here, watch me…"

After dabbing his face clean – Amok looked as if she'd slapped him with a fish – Matrae went through careful, patient motions, even feeding Amok when there was a particularly difficult bit of food. Tygra felt strange watching it; Amok was like a baby in spite of his strength, and he kept staring at Matrae like a goddess.

"Always said the woman was a saint." Tygra shook his head. Panthro looked as if he were remembering something.

"I think you're right. She's a fine lady." Tygra glanced at Panthro, eyebrow quirked. "What? I'd have to be stupid not to notice. Or blind." The last part was added before a slurp of soup. Tygra blinked and tried not to think about the fact that Panthro had just complimented his – that was HIS, Tygra's – mother.

He wasn't sure when he drifted off, but the last thing he heard was his mother praising Amok sincerely for sipping his milk.

* * *

Cheetara sat up in bed in horror. She'd lain down for a minute, wanting to warm up – she figured she'd jump out after twenty minutes and say she couldn't sleep – but she smelled breakfast food wafting through the door. She pounced on the messenger in her room and saw that it was just after dawn.

She didn't bother changing out of the flowing, comfy pajamas. A golden blur screeched down the halls and she skidded to a halt in front of the room where they'd brought Lion-O. Without a word she flung the door open and stepped inside.

Then she felt very awkward.

Frigid glanced over her shoulder. "Why are you standing there like a fish with a hook in its mouth?" Her tone wasn't unkind, just curious. Cheetara felt her face redden under her fur and closed her mouth.

"He's…I mean…why isn't he…?"

Frigid looked back, puzzled. "Why's he buck naked?"

Cheetara managed to turn her head. "Yes!"

"He's been sweating. Needed new clothes. Unless you want him to smell."

"No…sorry, I just wasn't expecting…"

Cheetara forced herself to look back without blushing. "Do you need any help?"

Frigid nodded. "I could use some actually. He's doing better, but I want to change the towels, rinse him off. I think we're safely out of the danger zone." Whatever she said, Cheetara still thought Lion-O looked ill. His lips moved silently, as if he were talking to himself. His fur was matted with sweat, although Frigid was sponging him off with tepid water. Cheetara picked up a fresh set of sheets – there were six clean sets beside the bed, Frigid had anticipated this – and saw Snarf sleeping amidst the others. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Fourteen hours. I've done this once already. Lupinne was good enough to lift him last time."

Cheetara knew she couldn't lift Lion-O and two male snow leopards were very helpful in moving him so the bed could be remade. They placed him on it as if he were made of glass, and helped Frigid clothe him. Cheetara couldn't help but be a bit relieved. Certainly she and Lion-O were friends but really, there had been nothing left to the imagination.

Frigid noticed her staring. "What, you like him?"

"No! I mean, he's a friend, yeah, but…" she trailed off.

"Doesn't mean you can't think he's good-looking." Frigid herself seemed immune, tapping her chin with a finger. "Far too young for me, he's young enough to be my great-grandson. He's been babbling a lot. Talks about the kittens, classes, you, your friends…it's interesting to hear the ravings of someone without a filter."

Lion-O opened his eyes and Cheetara was very glad he had clothes on. It might have been too embarrassing to stay in the room if he'd been conscious without them. "Sounds like drums."

She sighed. Still out of it. His eyes became hooded. "Not drums. Talking. In, out, in, out. Ghen I hate that sound."

"Hey. Lion-O?" The curse didn't bother her but the distraught expression did. He jerked, turning his head in her direction. "You really scared us. Frigid thinks you'll be okay though." The Luna nodded. "I know you probably aren't getting any of this, but I wanted to let you know it's okay."

The bite marks were all but gone, but the fur over the pinpricks had turned so light brown they were nearly white. "That'll stay. Scars are common from Luna venom." Frigid seemed unbothered.

Lion-O stared at Cheetara with wide, blank eyes. She brushed his bangs back, taking up a fresh towel to cool his head. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. His hand reached up and rested atop hers, her palm against his temple. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he said simply.

Cheetara blinked and felt her cheeks redden again. But she smiled. "That's really sweet Lion-O. I'd return the compliment, but you look a little rough right now."

He nodded. "Like melty?"

"Sure. Whatever you say." Lion-O nodded somberly. Cheetara kept dabbing his neck and temples.

"He's coming you know."

"Who is?"

"The Everliving." Cheetara froze. "He's breathing. I can hear it."

Frigid sat up. "Where did he hear that name?" she asked sharply.

Cheetara shook her head. "I don't know. I've only heard it once. In a vision. It had red eyes and…"

"He breathes his name. He's the drum, he times with the heartbeat. In and out. 'Mumm…Ra...Mumm…Ra.'"

Cheetara's hair stood on end and she shot to her feet. Frigid looked as if she'd swallowed death itself. Lion-O didn't seem to notice. Frigid tried to stand up but her knees buckled and she had to sit down again. "The Everliving…he knows the name of the Everliving?"

"What is the 'Everliving'?" Cheetara demanded. Frigid blinked at her with old, bleary eyes.

"The Harbinger of course. It's what he called himself. Or so our ancient records say. His name was wiped from every book, every mind. How would your friend know the name of the Harbinger?"

"I didn't know the Harbinger even had a name!" Cheetara pressed her hand gently to Lion-O's cheek. "Lion-O, stop saying those things! Don't think about him! I don't want you to know about that awful creature!"

Mumm-Ra. The Harbinger had a name and it was Mumm-Ra. Everliving.

Lion-O stirred. "Ch'tara…do you like dresses or pants better?"

She was taken aback. He had listened and understood. "Well…pants for running. I guess. I like long dresses but I've never had one. No reason to."

"Long dresses are in style in the Imperial City. But they're also low cut. I don't think you'd like them." He spoke very seriously. Cheetara relaxed, feeling the sick terror diminishing. The world felt far away.

"I don't think I would. What do you think of long dresses?"

He considered this carefully. "They're nice. I don't like watching the ladies of court in them though. They hide things…"

"In their dresses?"

"No. In their words. And their eyes." He seemed to deflate. "I'm tired."

"Then you should sleep."

"But I'm hungry."

"Then you should eat."

"Can I do both?"

Frigid's ashen face had recovered slightly. "Not at the same time. Soup broth. Soft vegetables. Nothing hard to digest." She stood up with difficulty. "Curse these old legs." Cheetara supported her so she could take a few steps, brow tightening. "Staying still so long…agh, aches."

One of the servants came to help her. "Sit with him. I'll tell the cooks what to mix. He likes you to be near him anyway." Frigid hobbled along, bending her knees as she went.

Cheetara sat down beside the bed and watched Lion-O's eyes travel around the room as if through water. Slow, tired, drifting. "Spot."

"Huh?"

"I spot. With my eye on a dot. Something colored…"

They fixed on her. "…Gold."

Cheetara bit her lip and managed to smile. "Gee…I don't know…the fire?"

He laughed. "No!"

"Snarf's stripes?"

"You're bad at this."

"Maybe you're just good at it." She pretended to put a lot of thought into and said, "Well, might it be…me?"

He snickered. "No. Do you give up?" She glanced around, realizing she was well and truly out of yellow things.

"I guess so. I don't see anything else golden."

Lion-O smiled at her. "The cat. She's behind you. The one that led us here. She's been my friend a long time. Nice to see you again."

Cheetara felt her fur lift and turned her head quickly to see who he was talking to.

There was nobody in the room. No one at all.

* * *

End of Episode 19

* * *

Readers have our deepest apologies for the following:

There will be a one week delay between this post and next episode. The reasons are personal, although we will say that the career situations of some of our number have changed - for the better, we hasten to add. It will take time to adjust to our new situations, and look forward to posting again on July 15th. ThunderCats 2014, Season One - 'Harbinger' Endgame starts here.


	20. Chapter 20

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 20**

 **King's Door**

* * *

"I can't believe how hungry I was."

Tygra lifted his chin idly from his palm. "I can't believe you ate that whole shegoat haunch on your own."

Lion-O reddened but Tygra punched his arm. "C'mon, I'm joking. You went without eating for nearly four days. I'd say there's a nutrient deficit to work off."

The fever had broken nearly six hours prior, and after careful examination Frigid had exhaustedly released Lion-O to take a bath, groom, and eat solid food. The table had been set with stew and roasted meat, but the stew had been forgotten for the promise of something satisfying. Now Lion-O was full, and could have curled up and gone to sleep in the chair.

Everyone was watching him and he met their gazes. No one had spoken to him much yet, and he felt their eyes as if they were waiting for something. "What is it?"

Panthro crossed his arms and Cheetara automatically stroked Snarf's back as if to reassure herself. "It's just good to see you really awake. We thought for a minute there we were going to lose you."

He took a drink of water. It kept him from having to respond immediately. That had been said too carefully. "Is that all?"

Tygra's eyes flicked toward the kittens, who were whispering to each other. "I wanted to ask you some questions. We all did, actually."

Lion-O was still. Had he told them something? He looked at Panthro who shook his head and Lion-O had to lean on the table in relief. Matrae was busy coaching Amok on proper table manners – it was really nice to see someone being so kind to Amok – and seemed to pay little attention. Amok had been happy to see Lion-O wake up, but for the past few hours he'd followed Matrae like a loyal pet. She treated him like a child, and to see the bliss on the rocky, sloping face warmed him.

"Lion-O…while you were sick, you said something that…you couldn't possibly have known." Cheetara had her hands on the table. "And you saw something that I've seen before. And now Tygra has seen it too. I didn't think at first that it could mean anything, but the way he described it-"

"Suffice to say, something weird is going on. I know you can't tell us some stuff, and I respect that." Tygra put up a hand. "But this is something we really need to know about since we're going for the King's Door after this."

Lion-O's stomach tensed. "We are? I mean, you are?"

"Duh. What with Lunata AWOL and Amok over here, we'll be able to break through the blizzard easy. No tunnels for us. The winter up north has felt different the past couple of days. The cold doesn't bite so much. Even the Luna like it."

Frigid looked up from her crisp salad. "It's natural cold. Real winter. Lunata always kept it colder with magic. With her abode gone, she won't have access to the items she needs to work her greater magic. It's too much work to keep up that cursed blizzard. The only thing you have to worry about getting to the door are the mutated and the subzero temperatures. And we can help with those."

"We've loaded up on antimutagen, and the mutated have been moving south to escape the cold anyway. They seem to be really skittish around cities, which is great." Tygra gestured toward Amok. "He and Frigid have been working on diluted Mercy's Blood – that's the red potion – to help us keep warm. It'll be really uncomfortable, but we should be okay if we follow their instructions." Lion-O turned to them, touched. Amok looked proud to be part of the potion making, and Matrae stroked between his horns. They had been sheared short and polished, lighter and more comfortable. "What we want to know about is the golden cat."

Lion-O's hands slipped off the table. "You-what?"

"Golden cat. Walks on four legs, gray eyes. Glows like a burning chunk of Thundrillium. Talks into your head without words." Tygra tapped the side of his head. "Ringing any bells?"

Lion-O's mouth had gone dry. He couldn't make it work.

"I saw it too Lion-O. In the tunnels…with Araknay. Somehow it showed me the tunnel to get out. I had nearly forgotten in the aftermath. And when we needed to find our way through the snowstorm, it showed up. Tygra was the only one who saw it, but you said to 'trust her.' That she protected you." Cheetara's eyes were soft, brown, gentle. Lion-O focused on them. "Lion-O, what is it? What is 'she'?"

Each face held a different emotion. Panthro's was stern, solid as ever. The kittens looked equal parts curious and excited. Tygra looked calculating, as if ready to hear what he had to say and then dissect it. Snarf looked sage, as if he knew something. And Cheetara looked tender, lips slightly parted, as if she were asking him to talk about something of great pain.

His gaze fell to his hands. "I don't know who she is. Or what exactly. But I have seen her before. She's…the one who pulled me out of the well. When I was a kid. I would have died if she weren't there."

Tygra's eyebrows furrowed. "She's been there since you were a kid?"

"Yes. In fact, when I very young she was there more often than not. Until I was five I remember seeing her all the time. I didn't realize she was strange until then. She played with me. I thought she was just some different kind of cat. Then my father…he got worried. When I started talking about her, he told me I shouldn't talk to such things. Either they weren't real or they ought not be there. I got scared, so I didn't talk about her for a while."

"Were you ever frightened of her?" Snarf asked. "Did you ever think she meant you harm?"

Lion-O might have felt offended. "Never. I just didn't want to upset my father. I saw her less and less as I got older…I think she was only supposed to be there when I was really afraid or needed help. But she never told me why she was there in the first place."

"Is it a ghost?" Kit whispered. She and Kat had round, wide eyes and their tails were shivering.

"Sounds like a guardian spirit to me." Everyone turned to look at Snarf. He cocked his ears. "Do your scriptures speak of them?"

"Maybe a story or two," Panthro muttered. Cheetara's eyes seemed distant and Tygra looked a bit skeptical.

"Generally your father would be correct Lion-O. Ghosts and haunts are not beings to toy with. I'm of the opinion the dead should stay where they belong. But we Snarfs have stories about beings of virtue and faithful hearts, beings that serve the Creator. They protect people he designates. Has she ever shied from holy icons or spoken against the scriptures?"

"No. Never."

"So not an evil spirit it would seem. Did you commune with her often?"

"She didn't talk to me. Just…stayed with me. Guarded me." Lion-O buried his face in his hands. "I didn't want anyone to know about her. But if you're seeing her, she must be real."

Snarf cocked his head. "I don't suppose you can tell us about your past, anyone you're close to?" Lion-O shook his head. "Then I suppose we should leave this topic." Tygra looked surprised and the kittens disappointed. "It doesn't really matter who the spirit is, or even who they were. Her presence indicates that your journey is something divinely supported."

"Are we sure of that?" Panthro asked. "Is there any possible way it's a witch's trick?"

"No. If she were, the Sword of Omens would have driven her back." Snarf took a biscuit from the table and began nibbling on it. "The other matter, and the darker one, is that you spoke a name in your fever. One that has meaning to Frigid as an elder Luna."

Lion-O rubbed the back of his head. "A name?"

"Everliving." Frigid's voice was flat and Lion-O's heart clenched tighter. "And you…you know a name that only the oldest texts references. Ones that you couldn't possibly have read. You said Mumm-Ra."

The name crackled off the table, biting into him, and Lion-O swore the air had gotten colder. Snarf flinched and Cheetara shut her eyes tight. "What…what is that?"

"It's the Harbinger's true name. In your weakened state, I think you…heard him."

Lion-O wished he hadn't eaten anything as his stomach tightened again. He raised a hand to his mouth, heart beating hard. Cheetara was beside him in a second, and Panthro was on his feet nearly as quickly. "Lion-O, it's okay." Nausea tore through him and Lion-O felt Cheetara's hand on his shoulder. "Lion-O?"

"It's just a weird old name. It doesn't mean anything special." Kit's voice was mild, observant. Lion-O managed to look up at her. "Even if Lion-O heard it, it just means the Harbinger has an actual name. Everybody has one, right?"

Kat nodded. "It's not even that scary. Why are you guys so upset?"

Lion-O, in spite of his heartrate, managed to smile. "I wish I was half as brave as you two."

Kit shrugged. "It's not being brave. It's just the truth, isn't it? Why be extra scared just because he has a name now? We'd have hated Miss Hiss just as much even if she didn't have one."

The logic was breathtaking. Lion-O put a hand against the hilt of the Sword of Omens and Cheetara's hand retracted from his back as his shoulders relaxed. The blade hummed faintly, lulling. "You're right. You're completely, exactly right. I guess the thought that I heard him is the scary part."

Cheetara returned to her seat. "I've had a vision with him. It's what made me decide to come with you guys. The sword might have been giving you a vision."

"Well, what does it mean then? If the Harbinger exists – and I'm convinced by the evidence that it's more likely than not that it does – how do we stop the thing from making a snack out of our planet?" Tygra was stirring his soup with a listless motion. "We're being guided here, okay. But how does one take down a demon? Especially one that we think doesn't have a physical form?"

Lion-O looked at the quiet blade. "Maybe the Sword of Omens will awaken at the core. Where its materials came from."

"Maybe huh? That's not comforting." Tygra looked up at them. "Before this I was really only worried about the stupid Mutation. Not all…this. How did they even seal the Harbinger away successfully in the first place?"

"The stories say they didn't." Frigid cleared her throat as every eye fixed on her. "Oh, he was cut off from most of his power. But he wasn't sealed where they intended. He would have been banished from every world forever if the plan had worked."

"How do you know that?" Matrae asked. Amok had finished and was collecting plates with surprising grace.

"We have very, very little material that dates back far enough to discuss it. But it just makes sense. Why seal him in a place where he would eventually return to power, even thousands of years later? No, something went wrong in the sealing and he was condemned to the only prison they could manage. Lunata would know more. She was alive when he swallowed our planet's heart."

"So that really happened? One of our moons was the planet Lune?" Kat asked. Frigid nodded.

"So many have forgotten. But our ancestors have passed down tales. And Lunata herself is ancient. She was yet young when the original Lune was destroyed." Frigid took one more cookie and gnawed at it.

"So it's even worse. They couldn't kill this thing before. What are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know that killing it is the important part right now. I think we just need to get it to stop feeding." Panthro finally spoke. "The Sword of Omens was sent to be repaired. I can only assume that the king and his advisors – Jaga himself – knew more than we do and knew that bringing it to the core would restore it. The Sword of Omens was powerful enough to break his power before. It should be enough to do it again, especially since he's weakened."

"Do you think we'll have to fight him?" Cheetara asked. The table was quiet and she folded her hands together. "I just wish we knew what to expect."

"We wouldn't have gotten this far if there wasn't hope," Snarf said firmly. "As I've said before, we Snarfs have incredible senses. And I feel something. Even as the dark is growing, it's anxious. Something else is here now, and it's good." He looked around. "I think it's here. What did Lunata say to you four again? Something about Thundercats?"

"Knights of the old order." Panthro shook his head. "Lion-O, we felt it when you were getting tortured. It was a couple hours before we found you, wasn't it?" Lion-O nodded. "The old witch is right about one thing; there's a bond here. We're connected. Something's happened over the past few months."

Lion-O looked down at the Sword of Omens. "I don't know what to say. You've all shown so much loyalty and courage…every single one of you has been integral to getting here. There has to be a reason for this, there has to be." His voice tightened in desperation. "I have to believe there is! If we were meant to fail, wouldn't we have fallen already?"

Kat put his palms on the table. "We're gonna go to the King's Door," he said defiantly. "And we're gonna help. Even if it means sitting in the tank and waiting or something."

Amok raised his hand. "Amok…would like to help. Will keep blizzard from getting bad, help show way. Amok has seen door when Mama put curse around it."

Lion-O smiled at Amok. "We would appreciate it." Amok beamed and sat down, having said his piece. "I guess all we can do is prepare and go. I just wish we knew what to expect."

"Well, if the core of the planet really does have some power source, I would assume it's probably going to be hot. I would also assume crushing gravity, but I guess that's not the case if there really is a supernatural power source." Tygra sighed. "I'll pack some tea."

* * *

Matrae did not like this. Tygra could tell. She gathered supplies, information, weapons, medicine, but the corners of her mouth seemed perpetually displeased. Amok followed her, carrying things for her and basking in her affection.

In spite of that she helped them get ready over the next two days. Tygra took her aside when she walked out of the room. "Mom, I know this sucks. I'm nervous too. But it really means a lot that you've helped."

Her face had a few lines now but her eyes seemed young and bright with worry. "You're my dearest treasure, Tygra. The thought that I'm letting to run off to some strange, mythical place is just…urgh, I can't stand it! Like Lion-O said, if we just knew something-!"

"I know." He hugged her around the waist and she stroked his hair. Tygra was not given to public displays of affection but alone in the hallway he buried his face in her shoulder. She smelled of tea leaves and clean cloth, no hint of perfume. "Saving kingdoms and thwarting drug trades kind of takes a toll on you," he said at last. Her claws were gentle through his stripes.

"You silly boy. You're my child through and through." She stepped back, hands on his shoulders. "You and your friends all have to come back safe and sound. You are not too old for me to put you over my knee and spank you."

Tygra laughed. "Mom, you're the worst spanker ever. You want to know what being spanked felt like?" He bopped her forehead. "That is what it felt like."

"Oh hush." She kissed his cheek. "Just be safe dear. I feel like there must be a reason for all this as well, but that doesn't scare me any less…"

Amok poked his head out the door. "Um…Miss Matrae?"

"Just Matrae is fine honey. What is it?" She quickly wiped her eyes and Tygra's chest hurt, reminded of the worry he was causing her. Amok shuffled forward bashfully and put out a big fist. It was filled with weeds, a few hardy ferns, and two chilly, ugly flowers. "Oh, Amok! Flowers! How sweet," she said earnestly, taking them lovingly into her arms. Amok seemed startled and delighted at her reaction. "I need to put these in some water straightaway. Tygra, be a dear and help me get a vase together."

Tygra remembered bringing her weeds and her same reaction. And Amok practically gamboled down the hall, following them, and Tygra shook his head.

I will come back. On my honor. I won't be like Dad; I keep my promises.

* * *

Panthro stood in front of the grave for a long while, reading it over and over. The chill lilies still looked fresh, perfectly frozen in their preferred climate. He brushed some of the snow off before going, heading back down the path.

Cats and Luna and wolves and vixens. These creatures survived in this cold, dying village. He had never seen the panthers of the north, further off and richer than many in the Imperial City could dream, and didn't intend to. Panthro wanted the mission to be over so he could return to Thundera, to the warmer winds and honor of his soldiers and duty. Justice had some say there.

What would have happened if his mother had made it to Thundera? Would he have even been born? Would he have been some noble's son? Or perhaps she would have met Lynx-O years before, never gotten sick, and would still be alive. Maybe. It didn't help to dwell on the past but there was no way to keep from wondering. She would have loved Thundera, with its colors and lights and people. With its choices.

The snow behind him crunched and he turned, recognizing the trudge of a cat. A panther maiden, dressed in thick furs, was hovering by the nearest wall, dark hair long and sleek. He blinked, surprised to see one. She had a tattoo on her arm, the silvery silhouette of a bird. Probably some noble house, one of the mine owners' daughters. She was turning in place, owlishly.

A snow leopard approached. He was younger than Panthro, shorter. "Young lady, what are you looking for? Maybe I could help."

Panthro felt his old mistrust for men kindle. He turned his head to watch them. She had a sweet face, innocent. Naïve. He thought of Lion-O and his hackles rose. "I-I'm looking for a way to go south. To Thundera. Would you happen to know of one?"

His heart stilled. The leopard made a show of thinking hard. "Well, let's see…there are occasionally travelers that will go south for trade, so you could go with one of them. But it would cost a lot of money for your supplies, and to live here until you find a group to go with."

"Oh." Her face fell. "I don't have much on me, I…I had to leave quickly. Could anyone help me?"

Panthro turned as the leopard took her hand as a gentleman might. "Miss, I have a job or two you can do. I would pay you for them. A pretty girl like you would be just perfect for them."

She blinked. "What would I be doing? I can sew, and play piano…"

The leopard grinned, showing his teeth. "Oh, it wouldn't be too difficult…I know a place we can talk in private…"

He started to lead her away. Panthro stalked after him, grabbed him by the shoulder, and punched him so hard his jaw broke. The cat fell, wailing through his broken jaw. The girl shrieked and Panthro waited until the leopard struggled to his feet and threw him by the scruff. "Get the Ghen out! You try something like this ever again and I will find you. And I will kill you."

The leopard ran, terrified. The panther girl whimpered as Panthro turned to her. "I-I-"

He gruffly held out a pouch. She stared at it and then looked at his face. "Take it. Don't trust anyone around here that offers you a job like that. He wasn't giving you any decent work."

Realization crossed her face and she put a delicate hand to her mouth. "No…I thought he meant…oh!"

She looked sick. Panthro waved the pouch insistently and she took it. "There's a woman here you can trust. Matrae. Lives on the border between Icla and Cicle. She helps people, and she has connections in Thundera. If you're trying to escape an arranged marriage she's the best chance you've got. That'll help you get on your feet in Thundera."

The girl gaped. "How did you know?"

"You ain't the first girl to try to get out of one by running away." He crossed his arms and she stared at his tattoo before looking at his face. "You can work there until travel arrangements are made. I'll take you there if you want, but given what just happened I'd understand if you'd rather go on your own."

She looked in the bag and saw gold. "Sir, I can't accept this. I…it's too much."

"It's what I'm giving. Isn't for you to say it's too much or too little." He started down the path, ignoring the wide-eyed stares. "You coming?"

She jumped and waded through the snow after him. "Yes! I'm coming!" Her hair billowed long and dark in the wind and she looked up at him in awe. "Why did you intervene?"

"Because it was the right thing. And I hate guys like him." He said nothing more as he returned to the tank, the young woman bounding along behind him.

* * *

Kit and Kat saw the tank pull into the garage and both turned their eyes to the mountains in the distance. "Think they'll let us go in the King's Door with them?" Kit asked.

"Not a chance." Kat rubbed his thumb over the window, making a smiley face in the condensation. "But they'll let us be in the tank with Snarf. And Amok, I guess."

"Who's that?" Kit asked, pointing through the eye of the face. A young panther woman had climbed out and Panthro was talking to Matrae, who looked concerned. "She's pretty." She gasped. "Do you think Panthro got a girlfriend!?"

Kat gave her a look. "She looks young enough to be his daughter. I don't think so."

"I guess you're right." Kit cocked her head when Cheetara approached, looking shivery in the garage. She gave Panthro a knowing look and smiled at the girl. "Ever think grownups are kind of crazy?"

"All the time. I mean, it's like…how do I say it?" Kat waited for the window to fog up a little more. "When I was little I thought there were bad people and good people." He made a handprint for "bad" and one for "good" and drew a line between them. Kit nodded, frowning. "Sometimes nice people are mean and bad people can do something nice. That's not so weird. But ever since we started on this trip – well, no, even before – I've started noticing people that are like here." He planted his hand halfway over the line. "And here. And here." The window filled with his prints. "Someone like Amok can be doing bad things but he really wasn't all that bad, you know? And the merchants in our city weren't mean, but they didn't do anything when they should have, not until Lion-O and Cheetara and Panthro and Tygra came. So they did something bad."

Kit blinked a few times. "So what's the question?"

"I guess it's not really a question. It's just there are so many people that do good and bad things that…I feel all wobbly. Like, instead of being sure there are heroes and villains…bad guys can't really think they're the bad guys, can they? Doesn't everyone think they're doing good stuff?" He flopped back on one of the cushions. He felt wicked for voicing these thoughts; what if he had introduced the terrible confusion he faced to his sweet sister? He felt sick all of a sudden. It was one thing for him to be scared or confused, but to make his sister feel that way – no, he should have just stayed quiet. "Forget I said anything."

Kit leaned against her own cushion, watching the cats below. "I think what you really want to know is if it's possible that good people – or at least, people who try to do good – could do something really evil. Like abandon their kids."

Kat sat up. His chest felt like ice. "I didn't mean that. I don't wanna talk like that."

She met his gaze evenly. "Do you remember what we said when we told Lion-O we wanted to come? We said we had to know the truth no matter what it was. Is that still true?"

Kat felt very small and strange under her serene gaze. "I…I don't know anymore. I was so sure they could never leave us…but now…"

"We haven't seen them. And you think they're either dead or abandoned us." Kit's tail swished peaceably. "I get it Kat. You think I haven't been thinking this stuff too? The grownups don't want us to think that, so they've never said anything like that to us. But we're not stupid." She looked out the window again. The garage had once been an ice garden, Kat remembered, as Matrae had told them. A Luna woman had wanted to be able to look from her windows and see ice sculptures. When Matrae had claimed the land, she'd razed the earth and built the garage for those who needed to repair sleds, homes, tools. Now there was no snowy courtyard under this window, only a metal room with machinery inside. It smelled of oil through the glass and Kat felt a sudden fondness for industry and the people it protected. "I think we have to consider the idea that they abandoned us. Not believe it, not until we have proof. But we have to be able to face it if that happens."

Kat stared at her and his throat grew so tight he could only croak, "So what do you think?"

"I don't think they left us Kat. And I don't think they're dead. I think they really and truly need our help." Her voice was clear and her eyes bright. "But even if the worst did happen, and it turned out they don't want us anymore…we'll be okay."

He sighed in disbelief. "You wouldn't be sad!?"

"Of course I would." She shot him a glare. "My heart would break into a bajillion pieces! Just thinking it hurts, all the way in here." She placed a tight fist against her tummy. "But we would still have a family." She gestured toward the window. Lion-O was talking to the new girl and Panthro, Cheetara listening with her arms crossed gently for warmth. Tygra had just come up behind Lion-O and tried to sneak out the hair tie that held his ponytail. Lion-O jerked and whirled, one hand clutching his hair, and gave chase when Tygra darted away, looking gleeful. "The world has a right to know!" Kat heard him yelling. Panthro watched, exasperated. Matrae shook her head while Amok went to join the fun, on Lion-O's side. And Cheetara and the girl howled with laughter, doubling over.

Kat's heart was warm and cold at the same time. "I guess so. I'm just scared."

"Me too. I'm scared about our parents, about the Harbinger, and about everything bad that might happen to our friends. But being scared doesn't mean we don't have to face what happens. We can't run away from the truth. No matter what." Kit hopped up. "I'm gonna go find Snarf and get more cookies. Wanna come?"

He looked at her. "Yeah. Thanks Kit."

She shrugged but smiled. "No prob."

* * *

The girl's name was Padura, and when Panthro confided the means of their meeting, Cheetara nearly exploded.

She stomped across the room, packing rations and clothing, folding and refolding, and storming all the while. She did not speak of the matter, for it was terrible enough for the poor girl to realize what had nearly happened without hearing others speak of it, but Cheetara had to bite her tongue to prevent from starting a diatribe.

Panthro had packed and was drinking a mug of tea. Padura sat beside him looking meek, sipping from a daintier cup. "May I ask something?" Cheetara said suddenly. She'd fit the last set of breeches she needed into her bag and sat at the nearest chair. Padura was going to be using the room when they left tomorrow, but for the night she was bunking on one of the cozier sofas. Matrae had been pained by it but there were already many creatures living in the manor and, now that Lunata was gone, many more Luna seeking a place of stability. The manor was packed.

Padura had accepted the hospitality gratefully. Now she blinked at Cheetara with liquid eyes, deep green. "Of course."

"What is the panther culture like? I mean where you come from, not in general. I just don't understand. You say your dad wanted to marry you off to a forty-five-year-old man to unite your clans. And when you said you didn't want to…he ignored you."

The concept made her head throb. Padura nodded. "Yes, well, he was up in the air on who exactly to wed me to, it was down to two interested parties. Neither of whom I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

"But he ignored you."

"Yes. I suppose so. He told me to think about which one I preferred. When I said neither he told me I had to choose one." She lowered her gaze. "So I thought if I fled to Thundera I could find help. I know arranged marriage is not common there, or at least that the woman has a say in the union. I thought I could start a life there. I suppose I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Well I wonder why? You're sixteen!" Cheetara sat down, willing her heart to slow. "I'm sorry. I just don't understand it."

"It's a complicated structure. Women are not traditionally the property owners, and property in the north means Thundrillium mines. My father probably just wanted to choose who would inherit the land by marriage. If he died before I married, there would have been chaos. The debates on whether I could still hold the land until I married would have been horrendous. And if one person claims just a little too much of the mines, the income could send the balance of the economy toppling if they made a bit for greater control." Padura put her cup in her lap. Her delicate fingers trembled. "Both men were loud and unkind. I was afraid of them. So I ran."

Panthro grunted. "If economies can be toppled by who a sixteen-year-old marries, they ought to. Matrae will find a way to get you south safely."

Padura looked at him with wide eyes. "Who was your mother? She tried to run too."

"Her name was Onca. She had a tattoo, but it was a bird perched atop a glacier."

Padura started. "That's the symbol of our parent clan. My mother's original family. I think…she said she had a sister when she was very young, but that she disappeared. It would have been more than forty years ago now…"

Panthro paused only a moment. Cheetara watched him drain the mug after the hesitation. "Probably her."

Cheetara didn't know what to say. She had always heard of cultures like this but to be faced with it made her feel dizzy. The idea that her beloved Daddy would have tried to force her to marry someone was ludicrous. If, in a crazy, kooky world, she did have an arranged marriage, if she didn't want to marry the man, he would have never forced her into something.

Panthro stood up and stretched. "I'll put together a list of contacts of people that'll help you find good work. One name you gotta remember is Lynx-O. He'll help you. He's got a good reputation, and he'll certainly be back by the time you get to Thundera."

Cheetara was still mutinously holding to the anger at the tribe that apparently thought so little of women's heads when the door clicked; Lion-O peeked into the room and she forced the thoughts back. "Padura, right?"

She nodded. "Yes. I…I'm sorry, your name was Leon, wasn't it?"

He smiled at her. "Lion-O. Not that I would've minded Leon. People wouldn't give me the weird looks." She returned the smile. "Matrae wanted to know if you preferred red, green, blue, or black cloth for your clothes. You had a couple of dresses I know, but she's got some thicker ones. And she's got pants if you prefer that."

Cheetara briskly dusted her own off. "That is if you're allowed to wear pants at all."

"Oh yes, we have trousers. Ladies' trousers. Dresses are more common though." Padura had missed the ire and Cheetara gave Lion-O a guilty look. "I love blue if there are any."

Lion-O had given Cheetara a small smile. "All right, I'll tell her. Do you have any ideas on what you want to do when you get to Thundera?"

"Other than not get married? Not really." She wasn't joking and Cheetara kept herself from laughing just in time, seeing the serious look on her face. "I am good at sewing. I liked making dresses, and trying them on the servant girls. They liked them so much that I let them keep the dresses if they fit well." She blushed, as if she thought she would be reprimanded for her generosity.

"That's great! There's always good work for a tailor. Although it'll be a bit of a shock getting used to a different city." Cheetara balked at saying her actual meaning; could a noble girl get accustomed to a life where she had to work hard, get up early, fend for herself? But she met Lion-O's eyes and he returned the knowing glance. "Just be sure to talk to Lynx-O, like Panthro said. He'll know the right people to talk to."

"Tell you what," Lion-O said, "I'll mention it to some people I know as well. I mean, I'm no one there really, but…well, one more good word out never hurt anyone." Padura gave him a radiant smile and Cheetara – though her fondness surged – felt a little as though she was being poked in the heel by a Snarf, sharp and insistent.

"Cheetara please, I can't reach the bed." Oh dear, Snarf really was poking her heel. He hopped up onto the mattress with a small bag on his back. "Will someone tighten this please? If I'm going into a hole I want to be able to carry supplies with me."

Padura beamed at the fluffy sight and Lion-O sat down for a moment to help tug the straps snugly around the soft middle. "Thank you! Lion-O, Matrae has a few cloaks she wants you to pack, she says yours is ready for the trash heap."

Lion-O's fingers jumped to the frayed, ragged edge that was more of a scarf than anything. "But it's my favorite," he protested, eyes wide. Cheetara was reminded of a twelve-year-old Tygra being told the teacup his grandmother had left him was broken beyond all reasoning and had to go. There had been tears. "J-a really close friend gave it to me." She bit her lip, also remembering gluing the cup together as best she could. He still had the botched mess.

"Well they'll be glad you got such use out of it. But looking at it makes me sad, and her as well." Snarf put out his paws impatiently and Lion-O reluctantly pulled it off, handing the cloth to Snarf. "Off you go."

Panthro followed him, as if he felt the lack of the cloak opened Lion-O to new threats. Cheetara watched Lion-O give the cloak one wistful look before the door shut. Padura sipped at her cup. "He really has had this thing through the whole journey. Look, that's where Hammerhand sliced a piece off…and I think Slithe nipped off some right here." Cheetara thoughtfully felt the least damaged part of the cloak and opened the door to call to a nearby vixen. "Would you happen to have a sewing kit around?"

The girl happily produced one minutes later, and Cheetara found herself on the bed with a needle in her teeth. "Maybe a satchel," she muttered around it, Snarf sitting on her shoulder. "But it'll have to be tight."

Padura sat beside her, shyly. "I can help you, if you like." Cheetara grinned at her and offered a clean needle. "Here, we'll trim off this excess and start here."

The slender, dark fingers were nimble and purposeful, and Cheetara did more holding the cloth and undoing knots in the thread than actual sewing. But it was soothing to watch, and little by little a pouch began to form. "He can keep antimutagen in it," she said quietly. "It's thick cloth, it should be safe."

Padura glanced at her. "Are you Lion-O's girlfriend?"

Cheetara's chin jerked up and she nearly dislodged Snarf. "What? No! No, we're friends. Why?"

"Oh, forgive me…I don't know much about that kind of thing. You just seem very close is all." Padura's dark fur seemed to flush. "If he'd been one of the suitors I might not have run off. He's very sweet."

"Yeah, he is." She was only sixteen – Lion-O was about eighteen, so it wasn't so odd – but Cheetara again felt like she was being prodded. And Snarf was quite still right now, watching the needle dip in and out of the cloth. "We're good friends. All of us, really."

Padura kept sewing, as if considering her next words. "Do you…I don't know…have any other feelings toward him?"

"Why are you asking that?" Cheetara said blankly.

"It's just you looked so sad when he had to give up the cloak. I mean, it's just a piece of cloth. A dirty, burnt, torn piece of cloth. Silk would be nicer, or maybe velvet."

Cheetara's face felt a little warm. "It's not the cloth itself. I mean yeah, it is really junky. But it means something to him. That's what makes it important. He's seen a lot of the world in it." The thought came suddenly, and it made her chest hurt a little. It had come from Lion-O's home, wherever in the Imperial City that was. Maybe he was homesick? Maybe a girlfriend had given the cloak as a gift? A mother maybe, or his father? Suddenly the little pouch took on new meaning, and she loved it more. "Thanks for helping with this. It probably does seem a little funny, but if it makes him happy, who cares?"

"Quite right. I had a particular rock my mother gave me that I kept with me for many years. It shone when you tilted it a certain way. Sometimes we get attached to silly things." Snarf's green eyes followed the needle as if it were magic. "The making of clothing is so fascinating to me."

Padura finished the edge and tied it firmly. "There. It'll hold very well." She handed the pouch to Cheetara. "I'll add a drawstring, hold it for a moment." Cheetara obeyed and Padura said, after she'd gotten a cord, "I'm a little jealous. I wish I had a friend that was as loyal as you."

Cheetara cocked her head. "Well," Padura continued, "I heard Panthro talking to Tygra earlier. He said that you've been traveling together for several months. If I'd told any of my friends that I was trying to get to the other side of the world, they would have told me I was crazy. Or told my father. I can't believe you all set out from the Imperial City when it's so dangerous."

That took her aback. "We didn't. Lion-O and Pathro left from the city. Tygra and I joined up later, then the kittens, and then Snarf."

Padura paused. "But…you all seem so close! Did you know each other before?"

"No. Not at all." Cheetara blinked. Padura was shaking her head in disbelief.

"Watching all of you, I could swear you're reading each others' minds. The way Lion-O lets the kittens have part of his dessert without them even asking…my cousins would never share like that with me. Or how he knows how to steep tea even though he doesn't like it, but he knows Tygra does."

Cheetara settled back on her heels, holding the satchel. "I never really thought about it. We just got really close. Have you ever had people you're close to?"

"Not like this. Not the way I see with you and your friends." Padura's long, dark hair fell around her shoulders as if to protect her. "You're going to the pole, aren't you? For a door? Something to do with the Sword of Omens?"

Cheetara nodded. "I trust you won't go shouting that too loud," she said kindly.

"No. I just don't know what to make of it. The panthers have their own mythos surrounding the King's Door. We call it the Great Mine." She folded her fingers so tightly the knuckles turned white. "Our legends say that Thunderans and the panther tribes dug out the original tunnel with ancient artifacts, and one of our ancestors discovered Thundrillium ore. He was give the rights to the mineral by the people of the north – this was before the Luna, as I understand it – because he wanted to study it and learn about it. It took nearly a hundred years to begin processing it. His grandson began the Thundrillium trade."

There was history here, Cheetara realized. "The Luna weren't here then?"

"They came shortly after. Their technology sparked the development of our own, and it's been nearly a thousand years. I've heard them say that our world wasn't ready for it all, and that's why some places are still so backward. I suppose it would have been a shock in the beginning to be working on having lights and then seeing flying machines." Padura lifted her chin. "You'll be careful won't you? There are dark stories about the Great Mine."

Cheetara nodded firmly. Snarf rubbed his face with a paw. "I sense darkness. But I don't believe we are doomed to fail," he said smartly. "Lion-O has led us this far, and I think we will continue with him. If the Creator is willing, the darkness will abate. That is my hope."

Padura fiddled, loosening her grip. "Why are you following him? I know you say you're friends. But this is…beyond friendship. Isn't it?"

Snarf peered up at her face. "Are you crying?" he asked gently. She sniffed and wiped her face.

"I just want to understand. Random strangers have been kinder to me than my own father. My own family. And they care about each other, and –and– "

Padura started bawling and Cheetara took the satchel and set it aside, wrapping her arms around the shaking shoulders. She seemed so small to hold the tears. "I can't tell you about your family. I don't know them. I think they care, they're just doing things the only way they know," she said softly. "I'm mad that they ignored what you wanted, but I really don't think they had bad intent."

A sixteen-year-old girl running away from home to escape a marriage to a man her father's age. Nearly being tricked into prostitution – or, at the very least, being robbed or taken advantage of. Cheetara felt bright and hot and sorrowful, and took the tremors into herself. "As for why we're all following Lion-O…I guess we just believe."

Padura's head rested on her shoulder, as if she had no more strength left. "'Believe?'"

In his mission? In what he said? In each other? Cheetara shrugged. "We believe in him. That what we're doing is going to do something good. That there's a purpose for all of this happening just the way it did. I do believe that, with all my heart. And I'm not leaving my friends."

Snarf crept into Padura's lap and rubbed his soft, fluffy face against her cheek. "Now now. It's all right. Things will be better once you rest. And given time, perhaps your family will come to see reason. My tribe did, and that's several hundred Snarfs whose minds had to be changed."

Padura sniffed a little more strongly. "You had a tribe? A lot of you?"

Cheetara seized on the tale. "Oh my gosh, it's a wonderful story. Snarf here is so brave, and he saved his sweetheart." Padura blinked and Snarf stared at his toes. "Here, let's get some cocoa and I'll tell you the whole thing. Snarf, you help."

The panther girl listened with wide eyes as Cheetara told the story, and Snarf buried his head bashfully in the covers as Cheetara spoke of Sarfina. Padura giggled when Cheetara described how brave Sarfina thought Snarf was.

And through the tale Cheetara thought of Lion-O. She thought of Panthro and Tygra and Kat and Kit and Snarf. And in her core she thought about what she had said, and it sat hard and hot and searing as the Sword of Omens in her heart.

I believe. And I'm not leaving my friends.

* * *

The world was white here.

Lion-O had thought Lune white, what little he remembered of the icy buildings streaking by. But outside the city walls the sun was blinding against the snow. Cracked glaciers in the distance broke the flat horizon, but it felt like a white, blazing moon as they sped under a clear sky.

He felt exposed. The new cloak was darker than his former one. In spite of himself he felt for the pouch at his belt, comforted by its weight and the fabric. Cheetara and Padura had given it to him, the latter waving goodbye with Matrae, and it made him think of the warm manor and the liveliness and peace of it.

Lion-O pulled his head down into the hatch and closed it, green afterimages bleeding into orange. "Ow. It's so bright out there I can't see."

"Snow blindness," Tygra said. "How's Amok doing?"

"Enjoying the ride, I think." Amok was clinging to the back of the vehicle, and every so often the tank shifted as he moved. Panthro glanced toward the back but said nothing; Amok wasn't hurting anything.

"How long will it take to get there?" Kat asked. Kit was gazing out the dash, sitting in the passenger seat with Snarf.

"Six hours. Longer if a storm kicks up and makes us slow down." No one said anything for a few minutes, Lion-O still nursing the pouch. He had two vials of Mercy's Blood and three of antimutagen.

"Think the mutated will make it south?" He couldn't help but wonder. Lune's loss of the Palace of the Moon had only just begun to reach the manor when they left, and watching the horizon in its peace made him feel uneasy.

"I think so. Snowmeow made it for a while. I'm sure the king will send aid once we get back," Cheetara said. "Although that might take a while…"

"If the Arietta bird came come here – I mean, Lunata can't hex her now and she's not screwing with the weather anymore – maybe she'd be willing to ferry us a little further. After this is done." Tygra didn't look up from the map and Lion-O looked at Cheetara.

"What about the Luna? Do you think…there might be war?"

She shrugged. "If they understand how foul Lunata is then they would want to fight her. But there will be loyalists who follow her. The Luna have few friends in the world, except for the Alliance, and they've been dealt so many blows lately. I honestly don't know what will happen."

Snarf perched on Lion-O's knees. "We can only deal with the situation as it comes. I think we've seen proof that there are many reasonable Luna, Amok among them. And Matrae is loved by many. There may not be war. But if it comes, the king will understand our actions."

"I sure hope so," Lion-O said quietly. Tygra glanced at him but returned his gaze to the map.

The kittens, meanwhile, flopped into a seat between Lion-O and Cheetara. "So are we going in the King's Door or not? We wanna know before we actually arrive." Kit's voice was sensible and flat, and Kat crossed his arms.

Lion-O rubbed the back of his neck. "I was thinking you'd stay here as backup."

"In the middle of the wilderness. In the freezing glaciers." Kat looked weary.

"Well, I knew you wouldn't agree to stay at Matrae's." His voice grew slightly tart. "Panthro worked on the Thundertank before we left. If something happens to us – and by that I mean that if we don't come back after three days – you guys need to press this button." He indicated it by leaning forward. "It will both send a distress signal to Matrae's messenger and put the tank in auto-drive. If something happens, Amok knows the way to Matrae's, and he will take you there. If we don't make it, you need to find a way to contact the bird and get back to the Imperial City, and deliver this letter to the king." He drew a sealed envelope out of his cloak and the kittens' eyes fixed on it. "Can I trust you not to read this, and to give it unopened to the king?"

Their bright clear eyes met his. "We won't open it or read it," both said firmly. He gave it to them and sighed.

"Snarf will stay with you. I'd rather everyone but me stay back but when I brought that up-"

"No Lion-O. We're in this with you."

"Goes against my orders."

"Shut up and let me look at the map."

He planted his chin in his hand. "I was outvoted. I'm not having you two stay back because I don't believe in you. I need you to stay safe so someone can tell the king about all of this. And because you shouldn't have to face whatever is down there."

Kit took his hand. "If the Harbinger is there, you'll beat him," she said. "We're the good guys. And good wins. Always."

He smiled. And felt his stomach sinking. "I sure hope so."

* * *

The King's Door was aptly named.

There was a blizzard around it, one that was neither so harsh or fierce as they expected. Amok's bellows brought the winds down until it was merely a snowfall, and when Cheetara stepped out onto the snow, it felt like she'd stepped somewhere sacred, where no one had walked in a thousand years. Virgin snow, she thought mildly.

The structure was made of a dark blue, gleaming stone that had been into a slanted tunnel. The doors rose three panthers high and three wide, peaking in a point, and carved from silver. In the design she saw lizards and cats and Luna, dogs and wolves and foxes and even a Snarf. Every creature she could think twisted in the designs and she put a hand on the metal. It burned with cold and she pulled her hand back.

"So. I guess we made it," Tygra said cheerfully. He stretched and stamped in the snow and put his hands on his hips. "How do we open it?"

Lion-O took out the Sword of Omens and pursed his lips. "I think…"

The blade lit up and he twitched, holding it aloft. The glow faded but not before a great crack split the quiet air and a line down the center of the door opened and the doors opened outward. A great smell of stone and earth hit them, and something like heat. They all stared at the opening and Amok made a nervous sound.

Cheetara turned to the kittens and gave them each a hug and a kiss. "We'll be back soon okay? Listen to Snarf, stick with Amok." They said nothing, lips tight and suddenly frightened. Amok received his hug and kiss with a happy grumbling noise, and Snarf rubbed his furry face against her cheek. "Stay warm. If anything happens, get out."

She didn't take in Lion-O's goodbye, tight hugs and whispered encouragement, and a friendly bump from Amok. She did think how small he looked when Amok folded a brawny arm around him in affection. Too small to carry this burden. In a slightly frightening moment, she raged against the king. It was gone nearly as quickly.

Tygra was casual, ruffling Kat's hair and pecking the back of Kit's hand, but she saw his hands tremble when he turned to lean on the open door. Panthro crossed his arms when the kittens turned to him. Their tails lowered slightly. He hesitated, rolled his eyes, and got down on his knees and opened his arms. Kat and Kit flung themselves against his shoulders and he folded them in a big, warm embrace. Cheetara stared and felt a lump in her throat as he released them. "Snarf tells you something, you listen."

That was all he said but the kittens seemed to absorb something from him that steeled their jaws and dried their eyes. Lion-O stood just before the opening, feet in the snow just an inch from the stony threshold, and his breath was a mist as he drew it in and out. Cheetara felt her staff, and put a hand on his shoulder. "We're right behind you. All of us."

He looked at her and his eyes were so blue and bright that the sky seemed to dim. He put his fingers on her hand. "…Thank you. All of you. For everything."

Then they stepped inside.

The doors swung shut automatically, creaking terribly. As it did lights flicked on over their heads and Cheetara looked around, surprised to see a metal lift. "This stuff must be ancient. Did they have this kind of technology that long ago?" She edged toward the lift and prodded it with her staff and listened to the ringing tone.

"The Luna did. Cats and other animals dug the mine, although there are legends about getting help from supernatural agents. I guess the Luna provided a little help that history forgot." Tygra experimentally put a foot on the metal. "It's not rusted or anything. This was built to last."

He stepped out onto it. "Solid. There's a lever over there, come on."

Panthro climbed on next to test it. The lift bobbed, the railing around the edge rubbing against the stone, but it held easily. Tygra warily took hold of the lever and – with a grunt and all of his weight – managed to push it down. The joint creaked and the lift seemed to peel from its location and, with the smell of dust and cobwebs and years of stillness – began its descent.

It moved faster than Cheetara had expected, her bangs lifting slightly as they dropped, but it felt controlled. "I assume that gravity won't be a problem?" she dared to ask.

"I guess there's a protection here. Otherwise they'd never have finished it, their skulls would have imploded," Tygra said mildly. Lion-O looked ill. "Whoa, let me see something." He tugged the lever up a hair and the lift slowed. "Okay, it controls the speed. So if it's here…"

He pulled it level. The lift jostled them, nearly stopping in its tracks as it eked downward. "Sorry," Tygra said, getting to his feet. Panthro mumbled something. "Look at the wall."

They began a slightly slower descent and every so often a bright yellow glow made them start. These were the only sources of light, and one was large enough that Tygra paused the lift so they could see it better.

"Looks like crystal. Why's it glowing?" Cheetara didn't quite touch it, putting her hand beside it. Her fur lifted. "It's…I feel energy in it. How far down are we?"

"Just a few miles." Lion-O looked at the Sword of Omens and lifted it, placing it near the stone. The Eye of Thundera hummed and he jumped. "I felt something! Energy moved from that stone to the sword!"

"So this must be the stuff at the core. This energy…is this what's at the heart of the world?" Tygra looked wistful. "I probably shouldn't mess with it, but this could revolutionize science and physics. I mean, is it magic? Or is this energy operating on a totally unknown principle? Does this energy flow in and out of people, the planet?"

"It's a bit overwhelming," Lion-O agreed." Cheetara could see their faces in the uneven facets and realized that it slightly warm, and that there was no breeze, just still air. Her throat tightened.

"Can we keep moving? I feel a little woozy." Tygra nodded and the lift started again. The shift of air helped. "I hope there's oxygen down there."

"Somebody made this with supernatural elements." Panthro had not reacted to the stone. "It's like a bubble. Don't know if it was magic or spirits. Maybe really advanced science, like Tygra thinks. But I think we'll be able to breathe."

Lion-O tucked an arm around Cheetara and she drew comfort from his presence. It was dark but for the flashes of crystal, and the lift made very little noise. An hour passed, perhaps two. Time seemed still in that dark place, and Cheetara might have fallen asleep, for it certainly seemed like no time at all when the lift began slowing automatically. A large, glowing bed of crystal ringed the resting point, and the lift settled into a carved circle. The geodes were warm, as if welcoming them. Cheetara lifted her head from Lion-O's shoulder and rubbed her eyes.

"Red. Look at the bases." The larger crystals had a pinkish tint toward the base and Cheetara didn't need to go closer to feel the energy. The air here was thick, humid, and every breath made her fur stand on end. "It's like I'm breathing energy."

Tygra seemed impatient and even Panthro drummed his fingers against his bicep as Lion-O got up and stepped down first. "Wow. Guys, you have to see this."

When they followed the blinding glow of the crystal ceased to distract from their surroundings and Cheetara mumbled a prayer of protection. The great space they were in was one big geode, distance splotches of color obviously glowing, ranging from peach to scarlet. She judged it to be maybe five miles to the ceiling, and the patch they stood on curved into a red earth bowl, spotted with crystals. The tunnel let out at the edge of the orb, and she turned in place the see crystals spearing from the nearby walls. The door to the lift had been carved once, but there were new lumps and chunks forming.

"The Eye of Thundera must have come from one of those." Tygra pointed toward the center, where the greatest formations pierced upward like spears. The center one had the darkest red base, and Cheetara shivered to even look at it. "Look at the two next to it."

Their glow, as Cheetara squinted, did seem duller, the crystal sparkling less. The scarlet places were dimming to the red-brown of dried blood. "Think that's where it feeds?"

Lion-O tightened his grip on the Sword of Omens. "I wonder if it's asleep?"

"Be the first thing to go right on this venture," Panthro muttered. Lion-O took a brave step forward, and then another. "I think that stuff must be the power supply for all of this. Those center crystals are like the power rods and they conduct it."

"So we fix them, we fix all of it. I think the energy could replenish if nothing was feeding." They followed Lion-O, who glanced from side to side. "I wonder what it looks like?"

"If it's anything like what I saw in my vision, it's big and has huge, bulbous red eyes. But I'm not seeing anything like that." Cheetara turned in place as they walked, keeping an eye to their back. "How should we attack if we see it?"

No one wanted to say the name. There was something in the air, judging, waiting, and to say the name might break the quiet. "I'd rather have an idea of what kinds of attacks it has. Claws, teeth…magic. If you get a chance to land a hit, take it and move back. No risks with the unknown." Lion-O swiped his hair back. "Keep low and quiet for now."

But nothing heckled them as they headed for the center. The silence was eerie, the faint scuffles of their feet echoing. Cheetara prayed silently the entire time – for wisdom, for courage, for protection for all of them.

"What is that?" Tygra was pointing at another crystal, this one darker than any they'd seen. It had a dull sheen, black at the base and gray at the edges.

Cheetara shied away from it. "I think it has to do with the…Harbinger."

There. The world seemed to come awake, shiver. Tygra coughed. "I know that. But do you think he drained it? Made it?"

"Don't know. But there's more of it." Lion-O gestured toward the lumps and pockmarks over the ground. "We're almost there, come on." They ran the rest of the way, Cheetara taking slow, loping strides to keep from outpacing the others. At the base of the greatest crystal was so bright red that it nearly blinded them, and Lion-O had to put his goggles on to see. He peered at the nearest facet and started. "I can see where the stone came from!"

He touched the crystal with his index finger and a shock rifled up his fur, ponytail stiffening. "Feels like static. But right here." He ran a finger over a rounded indentation. "This is the source. This is what's in trouble."

"But why isn't it all dim? If the Harbinger has been feeding here, why is there still so much energy?" Tygra asked.

"It is much easier to bite and swallow a piece of fruit than drain its juice sip by sip. I am currently limited to sips."

None of them said a word. Cheetara felt the fur on the back of her neck prickle and had to tell herself three times to turn around.

When she did she saw a red hood not three feet from her. Actually it was shorter than she, and she had to look down. The face was obscured by the droop of the hood, and the figure seemed crooked and bowed. "In olden days I would have consumed it in a single bite. Maybe two, to savor it. But I am not yet up to such feats."

The hood tilted back. "But now, Thundercats. I have not seen living faces in over a thousand years. What brings you to the heart of the world?"

They moved back ten feet as one, weapons brandished. The figure didn't move, and Cheetara found herself staring at his face. Wrinkled and ancient, crags marred around his mouth and brow, and his tongue was purple as a corpse's. His hands were small – almost delicate – and the nails were long and pointed, chipping at the edges. The skin there was scabby, and there were bandages wrapped around his arms.

He did not seem to have feet under the splayed, red cloak. Something within the folds shifted. And the sunken red eyes watched them from over slit nostrils, as if his nose had long ago rotted away. Cheetara choked and forced out, "Creator defend us from this, your enemy."

The Harbinger smiled. His yellow teeth were sparse. "Ah, a champion for the arrogant god. Virtuous, pure, golden. Beautiful and loyal…unable to think for yourself, head hollow as a rotten tooth." He tugged one of his own out and crushed it between his index finger and thumb, splintering it to dust. "Spray me with your inane mutterings and sweet prayers. He will not listen, he has left me to my work. I am the only god who will hear you."

Cheetara didn't believe him. She didn't. But her chest ached; she had hoped it would be like in the stories, where the demon would quail at the very mention of the Creator. But the Harbinger simply grinned – a forced, taut grin – and looked to Panthro. "Stalwart, courageous, justice. Dependable and reliable…unyielding as death itself, and in anger you are vengeance. Or do you think that time would forget the brothel master you killed in his family's home, on a sickbed?"

Panthro's lips parted but he said nothing. "I hold dark hearts close to mine own." The being placed a dry, small hand against his chest. "His beat near me until its last."

Tygra's yellow eyes flicked to the nearest crystals. "Ah, thinking of ways to fight me! Brilliant, educated, noble! And proud as a god, superior in all things! You fear becoming your father so much, of sullying your pride and breaking your mother's heart."

Eyes narrowing, Tygra snorted. It was a little too faint to be convincing. "You sure talk a lot. Nobody ever mentions the Harbinger doesn't shut up."

The figure laughed, and his voice was nearly friendly. It was higher than Cheetara expected, solid and soft. "Oh, I have been alone a long time. Indulge my chatter if you will."

He looked up toward the ceiling. "But where are the children? Honest and bright and true, facing the light even when it blinds? I enjoyed the idea of showing them the truth of the end and burning them away with it."

Lion-O snarled and the air seemed electric. "Don't you even think about hurting them!"

The Harbinger's eyes lowered and his expression, for the first time, lost its amusement. "I know you." The flat lips seemed to hang open in thought. "Oh, I do. Your heart is so far from mine that I could not help but know it…and retch!"

The Harbinger hacked and black crystals came up, crashing and glinting against the floor. The sour color soaked into the other crystals, draining them silently. They moved back, Cheetara building a charge in her staff. "Foul, foul! I choke upon it! So saccharine you ooze honey in your words and actions. One of the Creator's favorite pets, you break the unrest I work so hard to sow! Well I defy you! I spit on you! I will take all the goodness you seek and turn it to ash! I will pervert it! Then I will devour it!"

The Harbinger's ugly face grew wicked and his cloak billowed. The crystals' lights seemed to dim. "You wonder why I have not consumed this place? Because I am sealed, sealed here by a sacrifice! Two blades, artifacts of power and one fool who offered their life to close me between the worlds. But they were wrong; I have been drinking slowly, slowly, and I return to my former might. Not today or tomorrow, but soon…perhaps a hundred years? One year? I will know when I can break it. And I hold the core of this world! I hold it!" The ancient figure clasped a fist in victory. "Your sword is dead, and will not awake! You cannot remove me from my prison and you will add to my power."

Lion-O moved so quickly that only Cheetara caught it. He lunged forward, blade bright, and sank it into the Harbinger's chest.

He stumbled, falling through the body as if it were air. The Harbinger paused and glanced behind him. "Did you listen at all?" he asked shortly. "I just told you I'm between worlds. I am a spirit." Lion-O straightened. "This energy is all that is real to me, all that can touch me. And I can touch it."

He put out a hand and the nearest dim crystal darkened and new shards shot from it, and Lion-O barely ducked in time to avoid being skewered. "Bit by bit I have built my power. I can manipulate it now. I will hold you here until I draw the last drop of life from you."

Cheetara ran for Lion-O, pulling him out of the way as the crystals chased him again. Her foot brushed the shards that the Harbinger had vomited and felt weakness, a foul chill.

She towed Lion-O fifty feet away and whirled her staff again, smelling the heat as the charge grew stronger. "Okay…what do we do?"

Lion-O looked faint. "The Sword of Omens didn't work. It didn't work. Is it really dead now?"

"That doesn't…what about that light thing it did against Lunata? That might work." Cheetara and Lion-O took off again as the Harbinger whirled and flung out his hands. They crackled with dark pulses of energy and more crystals darkened, seeking them out like carved snakes. "The sword uses the energy from this place, it drove him back before. If we can get it more strength maybe it can still hurt him."

The Harbinger shrieked with laughter and Tygra fell in beside them with Panthro, running as well. "We've got to cut him off from his power," Tygra said, and the lot of them scattered as another plume of crystal energy descended into their path. "Sounds like being between the worlds is an unfair advantage!" he added with a yell.

The Harbinger whirled and moved, fingers following them with delight. "Such fun…I'd nearly forgotten how fun it is to see you all flee. The despair at the end…simply divine."

They ran further, further, until the crystal seemed to slow. "He can't stretch everywhere," Cheetara said, listening to the others pant. They couldn't run so quickly, nor so long. The Harbinger's voice carried to them but she couldn't hear the words. "We have to wake up the sword. To do that we have to get the Harbinger to stop feeding on the heart. And to do that-"

"We have to beat the Ghen out of him. And to do that we need the sword's energy." Panthro pushed them all forward to avoid another wave. "So what do we do?"

They looked to Lion-O, and Cheetara was stunned to see a deathly calm on his face. "We need to retreat. The king…nobody knew about this. Nobody had any idea. We need a plan, some kind of way to fight."

Tygra looked back toward the Harbinger. "Okay, sounds decent to me. We're not far off."

Cheetara didn't get a chance to say anything. Neither did Panthro. For the red cloak was suddenly beside them, the spidery hands splayed wild, and Cheetara saw crystal.

Then they were hitting the ground and Cheetara had the breath knocked from her. Lion-O scrambled to his feet and Tygra was already up; Panthro had pushed them. Pushed them out of the way.

His expression did not change as the dark crystal ate up his legs. "Get out of here and get help. Tell the king about this, and Jaga." It crept up to his middle. It was like sugar crusting over string, the way the candy makers made the suckers for children during fairs. Cheetara cried out. "Go!"

"No!" Lion-O was agonized and he seized Panthro's hands, pulling as hard as he could. The crystal remained solid and devoured Panthro's torso, turning his body into a faceted sculpture. "Panthro, no! We're not leaving you!"

Panthro jerked his hands back just as the crystal finished, speeding to his head and fingertips. His face was frozen in gruff anger. Cheetara felt her eyes heat up and it was hard to breathe for a second, but she grabbed Lion-O's arm and hauled him away. "Panthro! Cheetara, we have to-"

"We can't help him!" Tygra's voice seemed to work right now; Cheetara's remained lodged in her heart. "We have to get out, find a way to beat this thing, and then we'll be able to help Panthro!"

Lion-O absorbed this as they ran and Cheetara took hold of the nugget of comfort contained in it. Her mind wailed – can they reverse it, what if they can't make it back, what if he dies, what if he's already dead? – but she gritted her teeth and pushed it back.

The Harbinger was behind them. He moved without walking, billowing forward on air, face eternally grinning like a skull. Cheetara wished that this was an enemy like before, an enemy that could be reached and beaten and locked up, but it was a demon that pursued them. Creator, she prayed, if you're listening, please help-

Tygra disappeared. And the Harbinger actually paused. He reappeared with a chunk of crystal in his hand and hurled it at the figure. To her surprise it hit and the Harbinger hissed, whirling toward Tygra. He was jaunty as ever, grin a tooth-baring grimace to match the demon. "Come on you haggard old rag!" It was not his most inspired insult but Cheetara knew what he was doing and grabbed Lion-O's wrist.

Tygra would distract the Harbinger until they reached the lift. Then he would turn invisible and pelt for it, and they would escape. The plan was simple, good. She latched onto it and felt energy flood back in where terror had been. Tygra jumped and spun, avoiding the crystals as the Harbinger hurled them.

He jumped to avoid one blast and was struck by a second, cast a hair after the first. Lion-O screamed and Cheetara wished it would stop, all stop, because it wasn't right or fair-

He hit the ground and the crystal scaled over him. Tygra managed to shoot them a frightened smile. "Tell Mom I love her okay? And Dad too, even if-"

The smile froze and his face gleamed with the new crystal. The world didn't make sense anymore, how could this have happened? They'd stopped so many evil creatures but this thing had soaked into the core of their world and controlled everything around them-

Cheetara still pulled Lion-O toward the lift. We can save them if we get out and come back, she thought wildly. She could see them in the reflective facets, sprinting and gasping, but she couldn't see the Harbinger; no reflection. He had no form to attack, no presence, but he could still hurt them. It was cruelly unfair.

The ground beneath them bucked and Cheetara shrieked as crystal engulfed the red earth. Her feet were fast enough to jump ahead, but Lion-O was suddenly immobile and she had to see why.

The magic hadn't hit him. The Harbinger's crystal had only cracked the ground. But Lion-O was on the floor, caught amidst the cracking shards that speared high as her waist, tangled around him. He had several cuts oozing along his sides. His eyes were calm, interested. Lost. "Cheetara, go. Get out. I'm too slow."

No. No no no. Cheetara screamed again and this time it was anger. The Harbinger loomed feet away, everything dimming around him as he grinned and grinned. "Abandon him. You could escape me."

His fingers widened and that unholy light pulsed again and Cheetara never remembered moving so fast.

She threw her arms wide and bore the blast, hitting her square in the chest. It was terribly stupid she realized as the substance swarmed across her limbs and over her head. But she couldn't let it hit Lion-O, not even if it didn't make a bit of difference in the end-

The last thing she heard was Lion-O calling her name in anguish, and then it was all dark.

* * *

Kit shot to her feet. "Do you feel it too?" Kat returned her glance, wishing he could stop trembling. Snarf was pacing across their laps, tiny claws digging into their clothes. "Something really bad is happening!"

Atop the Thunderank Amok whined. "Bad Harbinger. Feel him. Lion-O and cats okay?"

Kat felt despair in the pit of his stomach. "No, they're not," he called, holding Snarf tight to his chest to stop the painful pricking of the claws. "They're not…Creator, help…"

Kit straightened. "The Harbinger is not going to win," she declared. Snarf and Kat shared a bewildered look. "Bad guys don't win."

"How can you say that? Bad guys win all the time!" Kat slammed his fists against the seat. "Masti was killed, Slithe and Lunata and Chilla got away! People died in the village by the mountains from sickness! Kit, I'm trying to believe the good guys win, but I just don't see it! They're losing, I can feel it!"

She looked at him and the strength in her jaw reminded him so fiercely of their father that his jaw dropped. "Yeah, bad things happen. And sometimes the bad guys get ahead. But they never stay ahead! Hammerhand got arrested, the bad guys are running scared, and now Amok is helping us! Kat, the Harbinger won't win. Good is gonna win. I believe it. I know it."

Kat stared at her, wondering at her faith.

"How?" Snarf's voice was soft, whiskers shivering. He felt what they were feeling – darkness swarming, coldness in their fingers and toes. The others were in deep trouble – and clasped his tiny paws.

"Because…because…!"

Kit threw up her hands. "Because! Just because! It's true!"

Truth. The word filled him with a hot light so bright that Kat jolted. "Whoa. My tummy feels weird. And in here." He touched his chest. Kit nodded in agreement, then blinked.

"Kat? Your eyes are glowing."

He felt for them and met her gaze. "Um. Yours are too." The coldness was gone and in its place was something almost worse – almost, not quite – that burned to get out. "What's going on?"

Snarf was gaping at them. "I have no idea. But whatever it is, maybe it can help the others!" He took their hands in his paws and furrowed his face in concentration. "Think of them! Think of them in the dark and helping them!"

Both kittens obeyed. Kat thought of Tygra and his tea, Panthro and his tank, Cheetara and her sewing. All of them had been good to them in their own special ways, and he'd remembered what it was like to really be taken care of and loved. Tygra brushed his hair a hundred times and Cheetara inspected their clothes carefully for tears and snags. Panthro made sure they ate the freshest fruit, eating the mushy stuff himself, and Snarf let them hang on him when they were scared, even though they squeezed too tight. And Lion-O sat with him sick with loss, gave them the best part of his dinner, made sure they were warm when he was cold. Stopped to help bad people because he believed there was something worth saving. He sniffed in spite of himself.

"Come on guys. Don't let him win. It won't be right if he wins."

* * *

The Harbinger stood over Lion-O in silence. The cat was on all fours, scratched and bruised from the crystal, still unable to get up.

The woman had frozen in the defiant pose. Her pretty face screamed war. Lion-O was bent in defeat, and the Harbinger smiled. "Such good friends to sacrifice themselves for you. How heroic and noble. And how worthless."

Lion-O didn't look up, ponytail spilling over his shoulder like a wound weeping blood. "All their efforts in vain, for you are prostrate before me, and the end is here. Shall I ease your suffering? I can be a merciful god." He put his hand over the red hair gently.

"…Mumm-Ra."

The Harbinger froze. "What did you call me?"

"Mumm. Ra. That's your name. You say you're a god? Yeah right." Lion-O lifted his chin and his blue eyes smoldered like fire. "You wander around consuming worlds and people, and you know why? Because you're too weak to be a real god. You have to feed or you wither away. The only reason you're winning is because of a fluke. If this were a real fight you'd have lost. You're weak."

Mumm-Ra had not been called by his name in a long time. He stared at the cat. "Stupid youth. That defiance would fade if you got the chance to grow old and wise and afraid."

Lion-O spat at him. "Maybe it does end here for us. But I'm not afraid of you. In fact, I would never call you 'Harbinger' again. You don't get a title, Mumm-Ra. You're a boogeyman is all. I was afraid before but now I know better." And those eyes truly were calm and soft, almost bored.

Mumm-Ra grimaced. "Always talking, mortals. Time for that to end." He placed a hand over Lion-O's head, unable to touch him. "Goodbye child."

Crack.

Mumm-Ra did not often surprise. The tiger turning invisible had been amusing, but he couldn't say he was necessarily startled. But that sound made him draw his hand back and turn away.

The statue of the cheetah had cracked down the back. And the light pouring from the seam made his black heart recoil.

* * *

End of Episode 20


	21. Chapter 21

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. _This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series._ Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

* * *

 **Episode 21**

 **Lord of the ThunderCats**

* * *

It was dark in that place, and halfway asleep. Panthro tried to move but found he couldn't, as if all his body had fallen asleep and the discomfort was too much to bear. It was better to stay still, quiet, peaceful. So he did for a moment. Maybe two moments. Time seemed strange.

It seemed to him, after some consideration, that a bright thing had appeared in the corner of his eye. He couldn't move to look at it but he got the idea that it was fairly small. No, two small things. And one even smaller thing?

"Panthro, Tygra, Cheetara. Don't give up. Don't let that bad thing win."

It wasn't really a matter of letting it win, it was just inevitable. If the others hadn't gotten away then the kittens had to get to the king and tell him about this creature, find a way to make war against it. He'd need a new general, maybe Lynx-O would be an advisor. Agar had always been a great soldier, leadership would suit him.

"Keep fighting. We know it's dark but you can still stop him. We're right there with you."

Sweet sentiment. But what could children do against this thing? Or a Snarf? His heart hung heavy as he wondered if the kittens would get back to the Imperial City all right. They were good kids; if their parents really had abandoned them they were trash that didn't deserve them.

"It won't be right if he wins!"

Right? So it would be wrong. Right and wrong. Justice.

Panthro felt as if he'd been set on fire. The word seared into him hotter than a tattoo and suddenly he could move, arms wind-milling in the dark. It was like a dream, and he could almost wake up if he just tried hard enough. Justice would see this demon dead, the innocent saved. Hadn't he sworn as a child that he would always seek it? On his mother's grave, dark hair shaved off because it reminded him too much of her, hadn't he promised that he would try to make things right?

Panthro roared and the world seemed to shake and shatter.

* * *

Tygra didn't know who was being so noisy, but he was busy slipping into a stupor, could they keep it down please? Thank you.

No, it wasn't quieter, it had stopped. But now there was light and it was very irritating. Not only had he failed in distracting the Harbinger, he now had to deal with bright lights he couldn't focus on.

Tygra, wake up. We can break this stuff. The kittens woke me up.

Well now that seemed silly. If it was a matter of breaking the crystal-energy substance, why hadn't they been able to break it before being covered? And how had the kittens helped, they were stuck up by the door. It didn't make sense.

You dumb kid! Come on, didn't you swear you'd make it back? That we all would? Where's your honor boy?

Honor. Tygra was suddenly so wide awake that it almost hurt. Actually did hurt, shooting into his limbs like pepper. "Get Cheetara," he heard, and it was so loud that it was nearly a physical voice. The light was big and tall, broad. Panther-shaped. Ah.

"Got it. Give me a minute."

* * *

She had tried praying, kicking, and just plain yelling. Now she was exhausted and hurting, body filled with a dull ache that pounded. As it pulsed it said, "Sleep. Sleep. Sleep." She refused to give into it, but the discomfort was pulling. And a bright light was coming at her. Cheetara tried to look at it and winced at the brightness.

So you going to help or not? Wake up.

I don't know how.

I think it has something to do with words. The word "honor" practically made me blow up. And I think Panthro's was justice.

Like the Code?

Uh…?

You're so dumb sometimes. The Code of Thundera. We only had to recite it every day in my morning service class each week at the temple. Oh…well, I guess you haven't heard it in a while.

No, not since I was five. How's it go?

They're the four virtues of Thundera that we prize above all others. Truth, justice, honor, loyalty-

The word brought her to life again and Cheetara could have been stars so bright she felt. Waking up not only felt possible but simple, as if it would be harder to stay in this sleep than to just get up and move. "Is Lion-O okay?"

"Loyalty huh…definitely suits you. And he won't be if we don't hurry!"

Cheetara snapped erect. And something along her back cracked.

* * *

Lion-O saw the crystal fall away and couldn't keep the tears in. Cheetara shook off the rock and shards, freeing herself with a few bent joints, and then she blurred in front of him as his relief dripped down his cheeks.

"You're okay."

Mumm-Ra lifted his hands and Lion-O forced the tears back. "No!"

The black crystal shot toward her but instead of engulfing her, Cheetara made a face and flung her arms out. The darkness dissipated, scattering like dust, and Mumm-Ra's jaw dropped.

Her eyes were glowing. Bright and golden as her hair, they let off a piercing light, and she looked to Lion-O, radiant, glorious. More so than usual. "You okay?"

He nodded. "What happened?" Mumm-Ra flung another volley of crystal, and another, screeching in fury as they turned to dust around her. She knelt and pressed her hands to the black crystal he was tangled in and it too faded.

"I don't think he controls this place as much as he thinks." Cheetara smiled at him. "I think the Sword of Omens decided to level the playing field."

Lion-O took it out, the Eye of Thundera dull as ever. "But its power source is under Mumm-Ra's control. This doesn't…how?"

"I think it has another power source." She put out her hand. "Come on. I have an idea. Tygra and Panthro are waiting." Lion-O took her hand and stood up, glancing uncertainly behind her at Mumm-Ra. He was quaking silently in fury. "Kind of a one-trick pony aren't you?"

He flew at her but passed through her body with a curse; they could not damage his body but neither could he strike with anything but the stolen energy of this place. He tried again, and again, but Lion-O felt nothing at all as they moved back the way they'd come.

Tygra was sitting atop a warm yellow crystal. His eyes too let off a brilliant glow. "You okay?"

Lion-O nodded and Cheetara shot him a thumbs up. He hopped down, brushing bits of rock from his clothing. Panthro approached, sedate and looking more at ease than Lion-O had ever seen him. His silver eyes looked strange in gold. "That dark stuff doesn't work on us right now. I say we whale on the main crystal before that wears off."

Mumm-Ra was still now, following them as his cloak drifted smoothly over the ground. "I nearly had you. Children are always the hardest to take," he said softly.

They didn't reply to him. Lion-O couldn't let go of Cheetara's hand as they returned to the great mass of crystal, blood red mixing with swirling gray. If he let go of her would she disappear? Would they all? The Sword of Omens was still silent but the glow of their eyes was the same taste, the same glory. Cheetara put a hand to the crystal.

Mumm-Ra clutched his chest and let out a curse older than mountains. Tygra put his hand to the crystal as well and Panthro followed suit. Each of them looked to Lion-O. "Won't work without you and the Sword of Omens," Tygra said bemusedly. "Man this is weird. Wait, is that…why would there be more than one…?"

Lion-O lifted his free hand with the sword and pressed it clumsily to the crystal. Mumm-Ra howled and pitched his head back, vomiting light. Lion-O couldn't bear the piercing glare and squeezed his eyes shut, only seeing the orange and green afterimage that threated to blind him permanently. The power that he had so slowly drank in was flaming, flooding, and it threatened to wash Mumm-Ra away.

The orange faded to cool green and black and Lion-O opened his eyes again. The crystal before him was bright scarlet, tinting to yellow at the peak. And the Sword of Omens was glowing, singing, and the cats around him had lost the glow in their eyes. Tygra looked dizzy and Cheetara held her head. Panthro surprised him by leaning on the crystal. "Did we just power the sword and the heart?" Tygra asked.

Cheetara was staring at the crystal in its restored glory. "It looks much more like the heart of Lune now. Light made solid. But it's prettier, I think…"

Lion-O was looking at the blade. It ached to swing free and cleave Mumm-Ra in two but its awakening made him tremble. "I don't understand."

"The heart of the world gives life to a planet by drawing from the people. Without the people the heart would die, and without the heart the people would wither. One needs the other. But you are so young you could not know. How you held so much I do not know." Mumm-Ra's dried lips curled. "But you are Thundercats. Why should you not have the power of old?"

"If you're not going to explain in defined detail why this happened, just shut up," Tygra said simply. "This helps a lot but unless we make it so he can't float around here draining everything, this is going to happen again. It might be a thousand more years, but it'll still happen."

Mumm-Ra glowered. "It would not take nearly so long again."

Lion-O lifted the Sword of Omens. "The sword will work again. Should I try?"

In the next second Mumm-Ra turned and nearly flew in the opposite direction but Lion-O was right behind him, and with one swing the blade seared white and they all heard the solid thunk of blade biting into flesh.

Mumm-Ra gasped, stumbling. Lion-O didn't see how he could trip, as he seemed to float. But the blade came free and there was a great black wound in the demon's back. Mumm-Ra pawed for it, expression twisted between pain and bliss.

"I feel."

The air wobbled and it seemed that Mumm-Ra was being drawn into himself, into the wound, sucked in like paint swirling down a whirlpool. Before Lion-O could make sense of the sight, Mumm-Ra reappeared as if he'd been dropped down a hole and lay motionless on the ground.

It took a long moment for him to sit up. Panthro's eyebrows furrowed. "Hit him again."

Lion-O didn't. Something had changed. Mumm-Ra seemed heavier, and as he watched the cracked nails dug into the red earth beneath them. Lion-O put out a hand to brush the edge of the hood.

The bony hand snapped out and grabbed him by the wrist. Mumm-Ra's face was rapturous. "…I am real!"

Lion-O kicked him in the chin and Mumm-Ra went flying. Cheetara darted in and hit him like a ball with her staff. The corpse form soared into a shattered mass of small crystals and lay still, draped over it. Then Mumm-Ra slowly sat up, bones creaking. "It hurts. It has been so long since my body hurt."

He looked ecstatic. Tygra was fuming, pale. "Why did the sword bring him into this world? Couldn't it have just vaporized him?" he snapped, glaring at the blade.

"Not when I am Everliving! I do not die, child! I will die the day there is no more murder, rape, theft, or cruelty. And even then I will live, because pride would consume you, and it is the sweetest sin by far. As long as there is evil, Mumm-Ra lives!" The bandaged creature's face filled with savage joy.

Tygra sprinted up and punched him square in the face. "Shut UP! Monologuing hasn't been cool in centuries!"

Mumm-Ra blinked, holding his face. "I…suppose you are right. I ought not speak so much. I was tired of the quiet."

He opened his hands and violet lightning hummed in his palms. "Let me be silent," he said quietly. The cats scattered just in time, avoiding the blasts by their fur.

* * *

Snarf released the kittens' hands. "Things have changed. They're on even footing."

"Yeah, I feel it. And is it me or does the ground feel…happier?" Kat stamped in the snow. "Like something bad got sucked away."

"Maybe they killed the Harbinger," Kit said, peering at the door. Amok stood beside them, blocking the worst of the wind. "No, never mind. But I think he's not sucking on the energy anymore."

Amok wiggled his toes. "Snow is happy."

Kat pounded a fist on the door. "I wish we were there."

Snarf shuffled so he was sitting on Kat's feet, partly protected from the snow, and Kat picked him up and held him. "I think we've done our part. They have to do the rest."

* * *

Mumm-Ra did not speak again and Cheetara was relieved at first. Then she started to dislike it. He made no sound against the ground, drifting like a phantom to hurl lightning at them. She struck him twice with her staff, giving him a taste of lightning that was oh-so satisfying. But no matter how many blows they landed – Lion-O swiped the blade and sent light at him, and Tygra used the whip to sting from a distance. Panthro hefted the old, suddenly lifeless black crystals and threw them, nearly squashing Mumm-Ra – the being got up each time.

"This is stupid!" Tygra snapped. "Just die!"

Mumm-Ra replied with another volley of lightning and Cheetara sank the end of her staff into his stomach. She felt the blades sink into the dry flesh and Mumm-Ra grunted and fell back, cloak flying up and flopping over his head as he landed. She happened to look down, feeling bad for a split second and expecting to see a desiccated old body.

She screamed and Panthro cursed fluently in alarm. Beneath the cloak was a torso wrapped in bandages but where his hips and legs should have been was a truncated, curled, dead lump. She could see two withered legs tucked close, like a fetus that had not successfully formed, dangling. And she saw what carried him.

They were twisted and grotesque, red as blood and slick with it. They seemed to have no real size or shape, whirling and writhing in on each other in a meaty ball. She caught sight of a boar's tusks, a vulture's beak, a lizard's teeth – crocodile perhaps? – and a brutish bull head. Like the heart they seemed to be somewhere between solid and spirit, and Cheetara swayed where she stood.

"Ghen alive," Tygra whispered, faint with horror. And Lion-O turned openly green and held a hand to his mouth.

Mumm-Ra lifted his head, sitting up. "We didn't introduce you, did we friends? Say hello."

A chorus of wails and hisses emanated from the mass and Mumm-Ra seemed lifted by invisible wires, resting inches above the ball, held there by dark power. He dropped the cloak over them and they were silent and he was again a hobbled, tiny figure that seemed to hover.

Mumm-Ra looked around. "You cannot fight me forever."

"No. But we're not leaving you here to eat," Lion-O said coldly. The green tinge hadn't left his face but the sword's glow warmed Cheetara and wiped the thought of the beasts back.

Mumm-Ra expression grew hateful. "I cannot drain the heart as I did." He placed a hand on the nearest crystal and its light did not dim. He did, however, snap off a small piece and place it on his tongue like candy. "Mm. It's a start."

Lion-O cut at him with the Sword of Omens, this time aiming for the mass that lurked beneath the cloak. But the sound that came from them was pained and infuriated, and Lion-O was thrown back, skidding across the floor before he managed to stop, rolling into a crouch. Mumm-Ra sighed. "I assure you that, while you can cause me and mine pain, you cannot kill us. If there had been any way, your ancestors would have found it."

His lightning continued, and Cheetara thought hard. They couldn't leave Mumm-Ra here to continue growing stronger but it was clear that killing him physically was as impossible as hurting him had been as a spirit. If they could drive him from the heart and seal him out-

The Sword of Omens alone had unlocked the King's Door. If they forced him out and locked it, he wouldn't be able to get back in. Not unless he became so powerful that he could crack the planet down the middle, like he had in Lune. Her thoughts were racing and her legs were tired, something she had only experienced a few times in her life.

"Harbinger, leave this place!" She felt fruitless as he gave her a surprised look. "I adjure you, be gone from holy ground!"

He blinked. "Are you serious?"

Her cheeks flamed. "In the name of the Creator, leave!"

That did make him wince. "You would require a thousand prophets before you could force me from anywhere!" he snarled. "You are a gnat's voice!"

"Harbinger, scourge of the heavens," she began, wracking her brain for the hymn, "the Creator himself has marked you for days of destruction! You who would pervert divine glory are damned and your days are numbered. Look upon thine face and despair, for you will know its fate-"

Mumm-Ra looked seriously alarmed. "You little…foul…slut!"

Cheetara had never been called that before. Tygra and Panthro looked openly offended and Lion-O showed his teeth and used the Sword of Omens to cut Mumm-Ra across the face. For a moment it was mangled and bloodless and torn, but the flesh sealed back together as the ancient creature grimaced. The battle started again but Cheetara hung back, brain speeding. What part of that had scared him so much? What had provoked the reaction?

Look upon thine face and despair. The words struck her and warmth wrapped around her. She glanced back over her should and wondered at the golden cat, sitting on its haunches. Its bright gray eyes were tender.

His reflection Cheetara. Make him look at it.

"Who are you?" Cheetara couldn't help but ask. The cat looked pained and turned her face toward the battle.

Keep him safe. I will do what I can, but remain at his side when I cannot. The eyes were filled with longing and Cheetara glanced at Lion-O and then back at the cat. Who could she be? What person – and this being was female, Cheetara knew – could possibly be so devoted to Lion-O's wellbeing from his very childhood? She had followed him here, into the center of the planet. Who would the Creator select to guard a child, particularly if he had a father and a-?

It clicked. "Oh…! Oh. I…I think I understand." Her eyes burned as the cat looked to her and Cheetara knew that look. A look of pride and loss and love, one that she had received herself when she set off on this journey. "I know now. I'll do everything I can. Thank you. And I'm so sorry."

The cat nodded and disappeared and Cheetara forced her tears back. Lion-O had spoken of a father, but not a – and oh, it would make sense if she had died when he was little. Why he'd been so awkward with Matrae, so surprised by her fussing and support. "Okay Cheetara, find a nice flat crystal."

The boys continued to fight and she heard Tygra snarl; the smell of burnt hair made her twitch but she scoured through the crystals, pouncing from cluster to cluster. She could see little snippets of her face in each one but none that showed her form and features. It would have to be big and a surprise, so Mumm-Ra could not look away.

A slab protruded from the wall and Cheetara gritted her teeth and drove the blades of her staff into it, cracking it from the source. As it fell she ducked to catch, grunting with the effort. It was fat and flat on one side, and she could see her frightened, drawn face in it. Cheetara hefted it, flat side facing out, and looked back to the battle.

Panthro had just grabbed Lion-O and hauled him out of the way of the lightning and Tygra was going for Mumm-Ra's back. Lion-O recovered as Tygra struck Mumm-Ra and darted away from the counter and Lion-O was just far enough back that she had room to intervene.

Cheetara moved like wind, the fastest blur that had ever been in the center of the world. And as Mumm-Ra turned to set his gaze on Lion-O, eyes spelling murder, Cheetara blocked his view with the crystal up, ducking behind it and shutting her eyes.

The silence was complete. She heard nothing in the darkness of her eyes. Then Mumm-Ra breathed in. Out. In once more, a little quicker. Out. And in once more.

Then he screamed. The howl made her ears pound and she used her back to bolster the crystal so he still had to look at it and shoved her fingers in her ears. Cheetara opened her eyes to see Lion-O, Tygra, and Panthro all doing the same, each of them looking at her in awed shock.

"Take. It. AWAY!" Mumm-Ra's voice reached through her fingers in his anguish. "Take it away!"

"Leave!" she screamed. "Leave leave leave leave LEAVE!"

Mumm-Ra turned and she caught the faintest glimpse of the spirits writhing. "Ancient spirits, with all your power," he bawled, "get me out!"

And then he vanished.

Cheetara slumped onto her side and the crystal fell over. The heart was silent, gentle, and the light seemed to soak into her and lull her into a doze. "Thank the Creator…I don't know where that thing went. But he's not coming here."

Tygra crouched, elbows on his knees, staring at the place where Mumm-Ra had been. "What's to stop him from popping back in later?"

"We unlocked the door. We'll lock it back. He doesn't have the power to break it." The words flowed like water and Cheetara found that packed red rock wasn't nearly the worst pillow in the world. Warm arms enveloped her and she managed to open her eyes. Lion-O lifted her into his lap and hugged her tight. It was ludicrously comfortable and she buried her face in his neck. "Let's get out of here."

"Okay." He didn't say anything else, but his arms bore her up and she felt safe in them. The cream fur on his neck was soft and she found solace in it, even though they were all sweaty and shaky and ready to faint.

"Sorry," she said presently. Cheetara didn't remember getting on the lift but they were rising on it in the dark. Lion-O had sat down and cradled her in his crossed legs. "Didn't mean to pass out."

"You saved our cans back there. How did you know to show him his reflection?" Panthro was the most alert of all of them and Cheetara lifted her head to look at him. Why was she so groggy? Had all the adrenaline just been sapped from her body?

"She told me. The golden cat." Lion-O looked at her, although she could only tell by the light of the Sword of Omens, new and charged and bright. "I saw her down there. And the scriptures talked about him looking at his face and despairing, seeing his doom. I think…that's the only thing he's scared of. The end."

Tygra scratched his head. "Can we go back to where things make sense? Because I'm so lost. And hey, where were there more stones carved out of the heart?"

Cheetara started. "What?"

"When we charged it I saw the one for the Sword of Omens. But there were other indentations, like bits had been carved out. Anyone know anything about that? Is there a chapter in the scriptures that says, 'By the way, we've got other weapons you can use to whale on the Harbinger, here are the coordinates'?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Cheetara said. She was too tired for humor but Tygra never was it seemed. "I think we need to go to the Imperial City, tell the advisor Jaga and the king about this. Because this isn't over."

Tygra muttered something and Lion-O lowered his head. "No. No, it's not." His face tinged with sadness in the red light. "Mumm-Ra is out there. He's weaker than he's been before, but he won't sit idle."

"I'd say it's the king's problem now," Tygra sniped. "Hope he's feeling better after all this time. Three months is a while."

Lion-O, instead of looking at him in irritation, rested his chin atop Cheetara's head. "I hope so too."

The worry in his voice was something that made Cheetara wish they were still fighting the Harbinger.

* * *

The lift was coming. Snarf's ears flicked back and forth, catching the clinks and rattles. "Stand back," he told Amok and the kittens. They obeyed with effort, feet stamping in the cold.

It was eternity between the time the lift sound stopped and the doors creaked open. Lion-O barely had time to step down before he was assaulted by two kittens, a Snarf, and several hundred pounds of Luna.

Amok grabbed him joyfully and dragged Tygra and Cheetara into the embrace, avoiding Panthro only because the last stood further away, watching warily. Kat said nothing at all, burying his face in Lion-O's shirt. Kit had started crying and seemed, to Snarf, to be rambling.

"And we knew that Harbinger was hurting you guys but we hoped and hoped and prayed and then our tummies felt funny and our eyes glowed, and then we felt like something good had happened, and now my feet are cold and I wanna go home!"

Home. Lion-O wrapped warm arms around the kittens, Cheetara taking Kit and Tygra clapping Kat on the shoulder. "Hey, you guys helped. We heard you. Everything's okay," he said gently. His blue eyes seemed softer than ever. Snarf climbed onto his shoulders and looked at Cheetara.

"Was it like we feared?"

"Worse. And he's not gone for good. But I think he won't be able to feed anymore." Cheetara watched as Lion-O turned to the closing doors and lifted the Sword of Omens into the air. The effect was immediate; the doors slammed shut and molten light bloomed across the door. When it disappeared there was no seam for an opening.

"So we won?" Kat let Tygra ruffle his hair.

"Don't know if I'd go that far, but we're ready to go to the Imperial City. The king has to know about this stuff, and I am personally tired of this adventure. It's been exciting, but I'm ready for a real break. A six-year-vacation maybe."

Panthro snorted. "If only. We need to get back to your mother's. I don't think he," and at this he gestured to Amok, "would be able to stand the heat down south."

Amok suddenly looked uncertain. Snarf was surprised when Tygra folded a companionable arm around the burly shoulders. "Don't worry about it. Mom would like it if you stayed. Just promise me you'll help her, okay?"

The Luna did not respond. His jaw was hanging. Tygra waved a hand in front of his face. "You okay? Amok?"

"Big birdy."

A great shadow blocked out the sun. Snarf felt melody in his whiskers – a tremulous hum – and the iridescent gleam of the Arietta bird obscured his vision. She was radiant and warm, and the snow puffed and settled around her as she land, shuffling her many wings. "You have all performed admirably," she said, song filled with life and delight.

"We let Mumm-Ra out. We didn't kill him. Could someone explain how this is good?" Panthro asked quietly. "We made it and we can fight again. But if we can't kill that thing and no one ever managed to seal it away, what are we supposed to do?"

"Mumm-Ra will take time to make his next move. We have little chance of tracking him until he does. He has no small power, even at his weakest." The Arietta bird made the snow seem like spring cotton, eyes dancing. "I will ask an old friend for information. For now, rest. Let me do the carrying of this burden for a time. The earth sings with recovery, and I can make a journey to take you to the border of the Imperial City."

"Right now?" Snarf turned his head to the source of the alarmed voice. Lion-O's tail swished anxiously. Everything shifted to see him. "I mean…it's…never mind. We need to get back as soon as possible."

"You succeeded in your mission. The Sword of Omens is repaired. Surely you don't think the king will punish you?" Snarf asked incredulously. Lion-O lowered his head and shook it. The Arietta bird, however, lowered her beak until it nearly brushed the ground, meeting Lion-O's eyes.

"A little longer before you may tell them. My dear, you have shown courage, but you must show even more." She rested her head against his front and he hesitated before wrapping his arms around her, fingers burying gently in the feathers. "I will carry you now, if you're ready."

"We have to take Amok to Matrae. Tygra's mother. And I'm sure Tygra will want to say goodbye." Lion-O seemed reserved now, and the bird nodded.

"I can take you to the border of Cicle and Icla. We can leave again after that. You will need enough rations for a week, and then a few days more. I will take you to the rural areas outside of the Imperial City, but I would cause a stir if I went into the city itself." The Arietta bird knelt. "Come."

* * *

Amok had the generosity to allow Matrae to throw her arms tight around her son first. Then he vaulted in for a hug of his own.

Amok did not understand much of what was said over the day. Then again, he didn't generally understand things as well as others. It had been one of the reasons he had difficulty learning to use utensils, to read. Making potions was one of the things he was good at, strangely artistic and soothing. The cats had sipped on the Mercy's Blood and it kept them warm. Amok was proud of that. He had few enough accomplishments.

He liked all of the cats. The children were loud and funny, Tygra was talented and friendly. Panthro seemed distant but Amok felt that, in spite of his grim, grouchy face, he was very nice. He had not called Amok stupid once, which was more than he could say for any Luna. Cheetara was sweet and kind, and prone to affection. Lion-O was the same way but boyishly so, and they spoke to him clearly and in ways he could understand.

And Matrae, wonderful Matrae. Lion-O had told Amok that Mamas were supposed to be nice and she was, certainly. Amok was jealous of Tygra who had such a loving Mama. He sat beside her as the cats readied the Thundertank for the trip to the Imperial City. The bird had offered to carry it as well, and Amok watched Panthro tie things down and tuck flaps in place. Amok made a sound of unhappiness as Lion-O passed and the cat paused. "What's wrong Amok?"

"Amok will miss Lion-O. And other cats. Helped Amok when Mama left. Amok see cats again?"

Cheetara's warmth was nearly overwhelming. "Of course Amok. We'll come see you and Matrae, if she'll have us." Matrae smiled at her and Amok felt happy. Mama had never smiled that way. "Maybe you can visit in the winter. It's just too warm south of here."

"Oh, I'm sure Amok will have plenty to do. He promised he'd help Mom out for me. It's his special job, right?" Tygra winked at Amok and Amok swelled up proudly.

"Tygra ask Amok to take care of Matrae, and help her with chores and learn how to eat with fork and knife by next time he visits. Amok will!"

"It's harder than it sounds, but I think you'll be up for the challenge." Snarf was riding on Kat's shoulders, avoiding the cold ground. "We're setting off in just a moment I think. Are the messengers set?"

Tygra held one up. "If anyone can break the communication between this one and yours, I'll eat the treads on the tank," he said to his mother. Amok blinked, thinking of how repulsive those would taste – oh, it was a joke. Nobody laughed but he didn't seem to wait for it. Was this sarcasm? Matrae had tried to explain it to him. "Anything happens, message me. Otherwise I'll come stomping back up here."

Matrae kissed her son. "Be safe, call when you get to the city."

Tygra looked warm and gentle as he withdrew from her arms. Amok wondered at it. "Take care Mom. I'll be back."

"Thank you so much for everything." Cheetara hugged Matrae and the woman beamed.

"I appreciate you looking out for Tygra. He's a handful." Cheetara rolled her eyes in agreement. Lion-O hung back awkwardly, surprised when Matrae hugged him as well. "Take care." He hugged her back, hesitant. "You seem so young for all of this."

Amok knew the look on Lion-O's face. It made him think of soaking up milk with a cookie. Trying to pull something in to keep. Amok cocked his head as Lion-O stepped back. "Thank you Matrae. If there's ever anything I can do to repay you, I hope you'll let me know."

She released his hands and Lion-O's fingers curled, as if missing the warmth. Matrae kissed each kitten fiercely on the cheek. "Listen to Panthro and the others! If I hear anything about wildcats looking for their children, you'll be the first to hear." To Snarf she gave a friendly scratch behind the ears and then paused in front of Panthro. "You I don't worry about. Try not to get hurt again."

Panthro grunted. Then he took her hand. "North's got a good lady so long as you're here. It means a lot, you helping Padura. So…thank you." He gave her fingers a gruff kiss and backed off toward the Thundertank. Amok looked at Matrae, whose pale face seemed pink, and wondered at the very small smile on her lips.

They lost sight of the cats after a few minutes, the tank speeding off through the snow towards the mountains. Amok thought he saw a faint, pale gleam of feathers in the clouds but when he squinted it was gone. Matrae shivered and he straightened. "Need to go inside. Too cold for nice Matrae!"

She smiled at him, dazzling as flower. "You're too sweet dear. I'm glad I've got you to keep me company." Amok held still as she hugged him, and understood Lion-O's attempt to hold the feeling.

"Matrae miss Tygra?"

"Oh yes darling. Always. But if he's happy, and at least trying to be safe and do the right thing, that's all a mother wants." She stroked between his horns and Amok felt a question sting his tongue. She cocked her head. "What is it?"

He shuffled his feet as if he were about to fall. "Can Amok…sometimes…call Matrae…Mama?"

She blinked rapidly and her eyes seemed very shiny. "Well of course you can. Whenever you like." She smooched his forehead and beckoned. "Come along, let's get Padura's room set up."

Amok beamed. His mouth would hurt from all the smiling hours later, but it was a pain that he loved.

* * *

A week went faster than Lion-O would have believed. It was as if seconds and minutes and hours rolled off the great wings like wisps of cloud.

The Arietta bird flew high, so high that she could sing without behind heard to fold clouds around herself. "The world has forgotten me, and in a way that is helpful. I used to have many people travel to my abode to beg me for miracles. They overestimated my abilities. I can grant a bountiful harvest – and I do my best – but I cannot heal the sick or raise the dead."

Lion-O didn't look at the Sword of Omens. His hair whipped wild in its ponytail and the world sprawled out gloriously, but he felt heavy and a little sick. The blade was repaired but Mumm-Ra was in the world. The heart of the world recovered but the great demon was loose.

And now the end came. Tygra was hollering at Kat, telling him not undo the tethers because if he fell off the bird would dive to catch him and then Tygra would hurl all over the place which would be extremely gross. Cheetara had one hand on Kat's arm, the other on Kit's wrist, and was using her legs to keep firmly to the makeshift harness that the bird had allowed. Panthro just held on to Snarf as if very bored by it all. He met Lion-O's eye and looked away again.

The mission wasn't over until he handed the Sword of Omens to the king. The trial was over then. Lion-O held tight to the harness and wished he could say something. But not until then. Not until the task was finished.

Things would change. He wouldn't blame them if they wanted nothing more to do with him. They had shown loyalty and friendship to an equal. What would happen when they found out who he was?

"I can take you no further. The city is large, but with the tank you should make it in a day." The Arietta bird began a sweeping, slow descent. As the air warmed and the air thickened her melody poured over the land. Fields of yellow grain stretched into grassy pastures and villages, molding into a wall.

And beyond the wall the Imperial City sprawled from one side of the horizon to the other. Even from here Lion-O could see the distant inner wall, a smudge. And the very top of the cat's head protruded above that, the gleaming peak of the palace.

When they hit the ground Lion-O felt as if he'd left all sense of peace. The Arietta bird had brought them close, and as she took off his heart hurt. Take us with you.

He cursed himself. He needed to go back. Father would be waiting, would need his help. And maybe his friends would not look at him in betrayal. He had never really lied to them. A gentle hand touched his shoulder and Lion-O jumped. Cheetara watched him, not removing her fingers, and he took a slow breath. "Sorry…you scared me."

"Lion-O. You know it's going to be okay, don't you?" Her dark eyes made him think of trees, shadowy forests lit only by sunlight. "The king will understand. The advisors will help. There's only so much we could have done. It's time to get help."

I want to tell you. I need to tell you. "I know. Just…hard to go into this knowing everything might change afterwards."

Cheetara didn't press him. He couldn't tell her anymore and she respected it. Lion-O looked toward the roads; had it really been months since he traveled them the first time? It felt like years.

Lion-O felt like there were a thousand things he wanted to say to prepare them, but none of them passed his lips. The gentle slopes razed by and the wind carried the sweet smell of dried grass. The Imperial City's lands were temperate enough for several harvests in a year, and this one looked deeply promising. When food was plenty prices went down. When food was cheaper people had more to spend on things they loved rather than things they needed. There would be festivals, celebrations. Weddings would proliferate in times of plenty.

Would it last? Would any good things survive now that Mumm-Ra was out there? Lion-O could barely breathe for a moment.

"What is that?" Cheetara was pointing out the window. He glanced at it, seeing tents and stalls. "It looks like the market in Dera's Run."

He smiled. "Looks like a harvest festival. They have them when the weather is good and the omens predict plenty of food. Never been to one but I heard at the biggest ones the noble children got to bob for candyfruit and whoever got the marked piece got a prize." He had begged to go. He had been refused. The boy had shown off the hard won prizes and Lion-O remembered the jealousy. They hadn't been expensive or even very fine, but he'd won them. Playing a game. For fun.

Lion-O grunted when the kittens clambered into his lap to see the window. "What!? Oh, we've played that game! I always won 'cause I've got a big mouth," Kat proclaimed.

"Yeah, but my teeth are pointier! I can pick up the fruit!" Kit pointed at her gums. "Can we stop and see the festival, please?"

"We've got to get to the palace guys. It's very important." Lion-O watched the colorful banners fly. "There will be more. Don't worry."

Panthro had been silent for several hours, driving without complaint. But he shifted and said, "My bum aches. Why not walk around a bit?"

Everyone stared. Lion-O's mouth hung open. "Did you…just say…we should take a break?" Cheetara asked.

"From a mission?" Tygra added.

"For fun?" Snarf seemed least stunned. Panthro muttered something before the little creature said, "Well, I'm open to looking around. Taking an hour or two certainly won't change our arrival. And…I think we deserve it."

Lion-O wanted to protest, insist on finishing the mission. They had rested at Matrae's, surely they could make it a little further. His duty clung to his mouth and nearly forced the words. Nearly.

His heart made it past duty. "I guess a little time…would be okay."

Lion-O wasn't a fool. As the Thundertank slowed to a stop he saw Panthro watching him out of the corner of his eye. Tygra talked more loudly and made more jests than usual. And the kittens grabbed each hand and hauled him toward the games first. Cheetara was laughter and kindness, asking about everything. Snarf rode Lion-O's shoulder and spoke of Snarf festivals, and how similar they were to Thundera's.

They were trying to distract him. They didn't know what made him quiet, what held his heart heavy. And yet they drew his mind from it. They saw despair and they destroyed it. Lion-O's heart ached and he forced the pain away.

Cheetara sniffed out sugar frits and they devoured the sweets, kittens enjoying honeyed fruit and Tygra savoring a hot, foaming cider. Panthro indulged in roasted meat, chewing contentedly. There were indeed games, bobbing for Candyfruit among them. Kat won one round and Kit won three. Lion-O lost all four and nearly a tooth. He was much better at hitting bottles with rubber balls, and offered the won doll to Cheetara. It was a pretty, porcelain thing and she shone with happiness. "There are five in the set. I always wanted to collect them."

Kat poked at his sister after her victories and said, "I think you've got a bigger mouth than me after all." Taking this as an insult, she lobbed her new toys at his head. Thankfully they were all soft, and resulted in no permanent damage.

Bards and storytellers swarmed everywhere in the tiny village, singing ancient tales. Cheetara remarked on her favorites with devotion. Tygra made pithy, hilarious comments to Lion-O under his breath. Lion-O couldn't figure out if he was supposed to sob or laugh between the two.

Looking back he could only remember snatches of the hour they spent. It felt unreal, happy, as if the Lion-O in them was only a shadow and he watched from another time. He could never remember the stories told, but he remembered later the smell of the food, the laughter, and the sensation of Cheetara's hands in his as she tried and failed to teach him a children's dance common in small villages. He couldn't quite get the steps, as if only children could learn it and only adults who knew it would ever get it right.

At the very end an old woman came forward. The crowd had gathered around a campfire roaring high, and her white fur was orange against it. "We give thanks to the Creator for his bounty. For the past months we've felt uncertainty in our bones and hunger beneath our feet, but as harvest nears the land blooms. It is for this we rejoice, in gratitude for the blessing of a good year. A shadow has lifted."

Several men cheered. "'Bout time too. The grain revived, but I was really starting to sweat," one murmured.

"Aye, and the vines as well. I don't know what we'd do if we went hungry and dry at the same time." Lion-O listened to them laugh and watched the woman. She continued her rites and prayers, asking for continued blessing and guidance.

None of them knew. Soon they would. The world was going to change. Panthro was gesturing them toward the Thundertank and the crowd was dispersing, heading home. "I intend to drive through the night. Get some rest kids."

Tygra and Cheetara stood on either side. "You okay?" Tygra asked. Lion-O bit his lip. "It's…I want to say it's going to be okay. But I don't know what you're so afraid of. So I can't." Tygra had never sounded so honest and uncertain.

The smell of smoke mixed with fading confections and Lion-O – before he could stop himself – threw his arms around Tygra and Cheetara both. Cheetara responded automatically with an embrace of her own, and Tygra awkwardly hugged back. "You two are some of the best friends I could have asked for. I'm so sorry for everything."

Tygra thumped his head. "I think the punch was spiked." But his grip was tight, as if afraid Lion-O would let go and drift away.

Lion-O breathed in the moment and held it.

* * *

Country homes faded into the houses of cities, and Cheetara clapped. "I can't believe how much I've missed a plain Thunderan house! Look at the clothes, is that what's in style now?"

The Thundertank was strange on the road but before it was a similar metallic carriage. Behind them a jaguar rode on a thin-limbed, dainty mount. And everywhere in the smooth road people walked, flashes of color and cloth and fur. Several interested looks came their way. Cheetara waved at a little girl with rolling brown curls and missing front teeth. The girl grinned and waved back. Blouses and gowns dropped along the shoulders but the hems hung low. Some woman combined the low shoulders with plunging necklines and Cheetara thought it looked a little much.

"We'll be at the wall in ten minutes," Panthro called. Lion-O flinched and Cheetara resisted the urge to touch his back. His face was taught, drawn, and his lips were tensely pale. Tygra glanced back from the passenger seat and met her concerned gaze. What could they do? Whatever Lion-O was thinking he refused to let them in. Cheetara wanted to whap him on the head until he told them what was wrong, so they could fix it.

Ten minutes passed quickly. The tank stopped and Cheetara climbed out of the hatch, not wanting to wait for the doors to open, and watched as Panthro approached the gateway. It was twice as tall as he was, and three times as wide as the tank. Two guards in Thundera's black armor emblazoned with the crest strode to meet him. "Identify yourselves and your business within the court," one said firmly.

"My name is Panthro. My rank." He took the crest he wore on his chest and removed it, handing it to the nearest guard. The dark face seemed to pale. "I trust that will suffice?"

The young cat raised his eyes. "Sir. I must request you leave the vehicle outside the gates. We will tend to it for you."

"You'd tell me what to do?"

"I'd inform you of procedure, sir. A vehicle for war cannot be manned within the inner city except for in wartime. If an exception applies, please tell me." At that Panthro grinned. Not unkindly. The cat seemed to relax.

"Keep that up and you'll make lieutenant. All right, treat her well. She's been good on this trip." He paused to give the tank a fond pat. The kittens climbed out and Tygra followed, Lion-O last and closing the hatch. Cheetara felt the heavy clang in her bones.

"High general. Shall we escort you to the advisor?"

"Yeah. And him. And them, if you can." He indicated Lion-O first and then the others. Snarf looked very proper sitting beside Panthro's foot. The young guards exchanged glances. Cheetara felt as if her stomach had been flushed with ice.

High general? Not just a captain, or a lieutenant, the high general? The man who could wage war or peace at the left of the king? One of the most powerful cats in Thundera? Cheetara felt dizzy. She and Tygra had expected a soldier of high rank.

Panthro was one of the most powerful men in the world. And he stood like a cadet, back erect and obedience written in his face as he looked to the nearest guard.

"We were instructed to receive yourself and your charge." The quieter one gave Lion-O a quizzical look. "The others may wait in the palace courtyard when we arrive. Refreshment will be brought."

One guard led them through the gates while the other remained at his station, waiting for relief. Cheetara nearly forgot her shock when she saw what lay within.

Tall buildings, stark and clean, lined a great road set with perfect, uniform stones. Silk was the most common cloth and jewels were bright from every angle. None of these houses – manors as they progressed – could have ever seen so much as a leak. Flower gardens the size of small houses rested before them, and sprawling markets took up entire streets.

They saw little enough of these. The path to the palace was a straight one, marked by greater riches, by statues and fountains. People whispered at the strange, mussed group striding toward the palace gates.

There was a quick exchange at the white stone entry and this time four guards, all of them seasoned by the looks on their faces, saluted Panthro. "Sir."

"At ease." They relaxed their stances. "Take me and Lion-O to Jaga. We have some things to talk about. The king needs to know we're back too." Panthro put a hand on Lion-O's shoulder. The guards hesitated, glancing at each other. Panthro frowned. "What is it?"

"…Sir. There have been some…changes. The advisor will surely tell you. We'll take you both to him. Your fellows will be well kept until you return."

Panthro's face was unreadable and Lion-O looked worried. "Is m…is something wrong?" The guard shook his head and Panthro followed him, steering Lion-O with a gentler motion than Cheetara would have believed possible.

Cheetara watched Lion-O go and the look he gave them made her feel like he was walking for the noose. Her hands clenched and she took deep breaths.

Three hours found them in a quiet, comfortable room with seats and cool water. Both kittens were whispering to Snarf. Tygra wandered the room, ignoring the fact that guards stood at either door. Cheetara kept pacing. Servants popped in occasionally – sometimes cats of varying breed, sometimes trim lizards – asking if they needed anything. They constantly turned them down. Cheetara could think only of Lion-O's face, of the way his shoulders set.

Don't leave me here. The words were so strong and lonely that Cheetara nearly jogged and forced herself to stop.

The door creaked open. "Lady Cheetara?" She started at the title, not feeling very ladylike as she turned around. A well-groomed lizard woman was speaking to her, shockingly beautiful with shiny, iridescent scales. She was reminded of Lisssa with her friendly face and smooth form. "I am Cnemida. The king has requested that you all attend a meeting of the highest importance this evening. I will assist you in readying for the evening, if that is all right?"

This was a surprise. But then, perhaps not. Maybe he wanted to cross reference their stories. He might be paranoid. "Assist me? Um…sure?" Cheetara rubbed her face. "I'm sorry, I'm just confused. And worried. Is Lion-O okay?"

The woman stared. "You…are on a first name basis with him?"

Cheetara blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Cnemida blinked, narrow face suddenly smooth. "I suppose…well, he shall no doubt tell you all things later. That is his right, not mine. Suffice to say the – that is, the young man – has several matters he must attend to in preparation for the convening tonight. The lords and nobles will be in attendance for grave matters, as you will be. It relates to what occurred on your venture. Until then, I will help you wash, prepare some clothing for you, and take you to the meal in two hours. After that you should have some time to rest before they arrive."

Cheetara looked down at her dirty, wild clothes and said, softly, "I would appreciate some help. Riding on the Arietta bird is amazing, but my hair is a wreck."

Cnemida gave her a warm, friendly smile. "We shall take care of that. The king requested that I bring you to the eastern suites."

The king had bothered designating a suite? Confused, Cheetara glanced back at the others and Tygra shot her a thumbs up. It seemed that Kit and Kat were going with a young cat maiden and manservant respectively, and Tygra chatted with the dapper feline escorting him away.

When they arrived Cheetara thought it must have been a mistake. The doors opened to a luxurious, large bedroom – could a single person sleep in a bed that big? – carpeted with exquisite cloth. There were dressers and elegant, cushioned chairs and a long couch by the window where she could see the flowers. Ornaments and flowers decorated the room and a beautiful wood-carved vanity rested in the corner. Cheetara blinked; hair decorations and ribbons and all manner of grooming combs rested on it, as if specifically for someone with long hair. Blond hair, she realized, as the colors and patterns all suited her fur. "I…this isn't my room for today. It can't be. It's too fancy."

"It is quite nice. The king thought this one would be pleasant for you to stay in while you're here. He seemed to think your group might be here for some time. If you would prefer another room I could ask about it," Cnemida said kindly.

"No, it's…gosh, it's so beautiful. I've never seen anything like it. Are you sure this is where I'm supposed to be? I grew up in a tavern you know…oh! The ribbons!" Cheetara felt stupid but they were beautiful, perfect for braiding her long hair. She had never had such fine ribbon, though she had loved her poor cloth ones. "Sorry. Um, where should I wash?"

"Oh, the bathroom. Right this way." There was a door in the nearest wall and Cnemida opened it and stepped on to clean, flat, white floor. "What sorts of soaps and herbs do you like?"

Cheetara gawked. She had adored the cozy little bathroom at Matrae's home but what was in front of her was more like a small swimming pool. There were five knobs and six baskets around them, filled with herbs and scents and several glasses of sweet-scented oils. The toilet rested in the corner, beside a dazzling sink, and there was a station specifically for shaking off, drying, and a seat for where a person could sit to use a fur comb. "If you'd like I can run the bath and send for some clothes. I'll see that yours are washed," Cnemida said. Cheetara managed to nod and the lizard smiled. "It is a nice bathroom. The king seemed to think you would like a hot bath."

She started. "How…why would he know that?"

Cnemida paused and shrugged. "Perhaps…the young cat told him?"

She wasn't telling the truth. Cheetara slowly peeled off her clothes, unbound her hair, and when the tub was full she climbed in. It was bliss and in spite of herself she sighed, letting the heat relax her. She could nearly swim in the tub, and Cnemida was kind enough to add herbs to her bath as she soaked. "For stained fur, adds luster," the lizard said, indicating small, purple petals. "And this to soften the skin, promotes healing." What looked like red twigs. "And this just smells lovely, doesn't it?" She let Cheetara smell the cork. It reminded her of Candyfruit and tropical flowers.

After the most luxurious bath Cheetara could have imagined, Cnemida had her come to the other side where a small basin rested, connected to the tub. "Rest your neck here," she instructed. Cheetara obeyed and the lizard turned one of the nearest knobs. Hot water filled the basin and Cnemida washed her hair, working several shampoos and oils into a lather before rinsing it. "There. Now to dry off and groom. Whenever you're ready."

Cheetara was then dried, patted, and combed until her fur felt like silk and she could pick out the bright places in her spots. Her hair hung long and soft, untangled as they returned to the bedroom. "Here, what do you prefer? The king seemed to think you'd like this one."

Six outfits had been placed on the bed and the one she was looking at was like a long blue sundress, one that tied around the neck and concealed the breasts modestly. It tied around the waist as well, flattering her tall figure. Cheetara looked at the other clothes as the light dress was chosen and couldn't help but wonder how much Lion-O had told the king. It was exactly the kind of gown she had dreamed of. "It does look very pretty on you. Now then, let's do something with that gorgeous hair of yours. Hair! It's the only thing I don't like about being a lizard, so few species have any. And it's such fun."

Blue silk ribbons and a crystal blue flower tied her hair in a side braid and Cheetara stared at herself in the mirror. "It's really pretty. Thank you Cnemida, I…I don't know what to say. Have you worked here long?"

"Twenty years. I was fifteen when I started. Oh I know what you're thinking," she said, catching sight of Cheetara's face, "how is a lizard treated in the Imperial City? Well, rotten by some. But not by most people here that I see day to day. The general had a knack for picking out soldiers and guards with integrity, and his m – that is, the young cat – has always been respectful and kind. It's a good job, even if you get some untoward comments." She clapped her slender hands. "Well, I think you're dressed for dinner.

Cheetara was the last to arrive, and when she entered the room Kat dropped his fork. "We were waiting," he began uncomfortably.

"Don't worry Kat, you're fine. I'm hungry too, go right ahead." She smiled at him and took a seat beside him as she was directed. It was a round table, made for about eight people, and draped in white linen. And the food on it smelled perfect.

Plates had been set for each of them, she realized. Kat and Kit were dressed in finery, Kit in a flouncy pink gown with violet sashes. She had a small diadem on her forehead and she practically glowed. "Cheetara, I look like a princess! Oh, you look so pretty too!"

Kat wore a tunic, dark blue with an orange kerchief at his neck. It clashed brazenly, beautifully. Their plates were full of rolls stuffed with meat, dumplings, something cheesy, and cookies rested on small plates beside their utensils. Panthro wore the uniform of a general, all black with Thundera's crest on his chest, decorated with badges on either side of it. His plate was piled high with rare meat and raw green vegetables. He hadn't picked up his fork yet. Tygra sat beside him, looking handsome in a dark blue tunic like Kat's, but with a white kerchief. His braids were held in place by a clip that had Thundera's crest on it, cat's eye beads gleaming. He was sipping a tall glass of sweet tea. His place had shegoat, braised with herbs, and what looked like a salad and a side of pasta. And Snarf, dressed in nothing at all but with fur completely neat, was eating Candyfruit and a wide variety of bugs with sautéed fish.

The king couldn't have known all this. Tygra met her eye and she knew he was thinking the same thing as she. Still, they attacked their food, and Cheetara observed that she enjoyed everything on the plate – savory stew, grilled shegoat, and rolls that had just come out of the oven. She stilled when she saw her dessert plate.

Sugar frits. Fried, doughy, sugar-encrusted sugar frits. "Has anyone seen Lion-O yet?" she asked.

Kit shook her head. "No, and apparently we're gonna go to some big important meeting later. I hoped we'd see him for dinner. I wanted him to see my dress."

"The servants were super nice! They took us to a room where half the stuff is toys and games and the other half are storybooks. And we've got two separate beds. Kit's is all girly and pink." Kat said this without venom and Cheetara looked to Snarf.

"My quarters are also nice. It's a nice sized room with a door to the outer gardens. The bed is full of pillows. I could nap on that for days."

Tygra was looking grim. "Yeah, and my room was great too. Historical books, a view of the city, and really nice combs. Even has a little tearoom with all kinds of blends and anything I could need to brew some. Like the people setting it up knew exactly what kind of stuff I like."

Cheetara turned to Panthro. "My room's same as ever. And no, I can't tell you anything. You'll find out soon enough." He didn't meet her eye and Cheetara looked at her empty plate and wished that there was one more place at the table with shegoat and sugar frits.

For a few hours they were free to rest, although it mainly ended with the kittens leading the adults off to see their room. It was indeed piled with toys and games, and Kit was ecstatic to show off the pretty dresses and play clothes. "They're all my size! I've never seen so many pretty dresses, ever!"

Cheetara and Tygra both feigned excitement but stuck close together. Lion-O wouldn't have had time to tell the king all of these things. Had he ordered this himself? Perhaps he was a noble with some significant sway? Maybe the king hoped to win himself their good graces by claiming Lion-O's generosity as his own? Cheetara disliked the idea.

Cnemida arrived shortly and beckoned gently. "The nobles have arrived. Please follow me, as the meeting is set to begin shortly."

Cheetara felt like the walk was very long. It gave her some sense of how large the palace was, and she could understand – sort of – how Lion-O could have stayed within its borders his entire life. Particularly when she caught sight of villas and markets just outside. Overall the palace was the size of a small city, built great and grand for times of war long ago, and it had only grown with the borders around it. But the wall stood high, and she couldn't see the rest of the Imperial City beyond it. She might have caught a small glimpse of mountains, but the only way she could have seen above it would have been a much higher window.

Or, perhaps, standing atop the Cat's head.

"As honored guests you will be near the front of the throne room. It has been requested that you speak only when spoken to, and refrain from questions until the nobles are dismissed. This will be a delicate matter." Cnemida opened the door and they entered the imperial throne room. Sunlight poured in through high windows – the cat's eyes she realized – and the room was coated in gold and ivory, jade tile across the floor. An intricate throne rested higher than the rest of the floor, seven stairs up. It looked uncomfortable, grand, and frightening.

A crowd of men and women was already waiting, although few glanced their way as they entered. Cheetara thought she heard a snort of amusement but at the sight of Panthro the amusement faded.

"The general's back!"

"I thought he got killed. Like old Lynx-O."

"Lynx-O's alive, didn't you hear? His unit should be arriving in the next month. That's probably why the king sent the general."

"Wonder if we'll formally declare war with the Alliance beasts."

"The Luna are in on this drug trade, war with them would be trouble. That might keep the Alliance safe for a while."

Cnemida had them arranged in a line before the throne, which increased the muttering toward outrage. Cheetara's face flushed but the kittens didn't seem to notice, waving at the nearest adults. One or two smiled faintly and waved back.

An old cat entered from the back, staff creaking nearly as much as his joints. It was nearly impossible to tell what kind of cat he was behind the age and brittle white hair, but Cheetara thought she could see faint impressions of jaguar spots along his arms. The wrists were thin and the yellow robes built more for comfort than appearance, and his white, wispy hair was clean as cotton. He walked firmly though, and his eyes were bright and alert.

Jaga, advisor to the king. Only the monarch himself had more power in all Thundera, perhaps the world. Cheetara openly gaped, hoping her mouth wasn't hanging. Jaga stood before them, coughed once, and began to speak. His voice was soft and clear like water.

"Let me be frank. There are many questions that must be addressed and very little time to discuss the ones we have answers to. It is curious and fortuitous that our general has returned to us on the day of this meeting." Jaga inclined his head toward Panthro, who bowed at the waist. "He has, along with several brave cats, taken part in an impossibly difficult journey. And though there is indeed dire news, there is good as well."

No one seemed to breathe. Cheetara surreptitiously turned her head, wondering if she might catch sight of a red ponytail anywhere. "There have been rumors that the Sword of Omens was taken north to see to its repair. All of you are familiar with the tales of the King's Door, of the birth of the blade to seal a demon. Some of you do not believe them." He did not seem angry or disapproving, but very mild. "It is not my job to persuade you. I will tell you that the blade was indeed weakening, and that it has been restored. However, the Harbinger has made his presence known in the world once again."

"None of us are here for this nonsense." One of the men, taller than the others, had a cold voice and colder eyes. "What of the Alliance? Mutation? Speak all you want of boogeymen but real predators still exist. Why does the king remain silent on these issues? Why do you bring old tales when we want answers? Or have you finally gone mad?"

Cheetara heard people muttering in agreement, and felt Kat swell up in outrage. She shushed him, patting his shoulder.

Jaga smiled. "Lord Felucian, I trust your wife is well? I heard she'd given birth to a beautiful girl." The cat seemed surprised, as if Jaga remembering a noble's child was strange. "I hope the herbs and medications I suggested helped her with her illness."

Felucian's face reddened. "It…they…yes."

Jaga looked to the other nobles. "I have nothing to gain by lying to you. I think I am of sound mind. The only other option is to think that I am very mistaken or telling the truth. I am afraid that, based on the evidence, I am not mistaken. And that leaves a very alarming fact. The Harbinger does exist and he is in our world. This is not a reason to panic; he is weak and nervous, and steps are being taken to deal with the matter. More will be taken shortly, and you will all be involved in the process."

He was so calm. Cheetara felt uneasy disbelief spreading through the people around her. "This is why we've gathered? To talk about a demon?" asked a woman.

"No. We have gathered because it is time that we unveiled a truth that has been kept quiet for several months. Not, I assure you, to trick anyone or harm others. It was of utmost importance that the information I am about to tell you remain secret until we were ready. And it was King Claudus's will that it remain so."

Cheetara thought of Lion-O and wished he were here. She didn't understand what was going on. People were mad at the king here too? They thought he wasn't doing anything? Why were they rushing into this? And where was Lion-O?

Jaga lowered his chin, beard touching his robe. "It is my profound sorrow to inform you all that King Claudus is dead."

The quiet was broken almost immediately with the panicked clamor. Cheetara's legs went numb and Snarf landed on his rump. Panthro merely shut his eyes against it all. Tygra looked horrified and the kittens seemed surprised, frightened, and mostly sad. "Poor king," Kit said softly.

"What is the meaning of this?" a man shrieked. His face was red, eyes wild. "The king wouldn't hear you speak lies in his own throne room!"

"Sounds like a power play to me," hissed another. But the greater majority hushed them, muttering in fear. Jaga waited calmly, sadly, for them to recover themselves.

"Many of you knew of the king's illness. In spite of our best efforts and most fervent prayers, the Creator took him to his side to rest nearly four months ago. It was his request-" he tried to continue.

"Four months!? You seek the throne yourself! By the Creator himself, we should have been convening to find a suitable heir-"

"-Still don't believe the garbage he's spouting."

"-Don't know what will happen if the Alliance finds out-"

Panthro growled. It rumbled through the room and woke Cheetara up a little. The silence returned, heavy with tension. "Jaga speaks the truth. I've seen the remains. They will be interred publicly soon."

It took a minute for Jaga to continue. "It was his decision, in sound mind, to keep the fact of his impending passing a secret until the time was right. His heir had to complete his Anointment Trials, set by an agent of the Creator himself, before he could wield the Sword of Omens and protect our kingdom."

Cheetara noticed that Tygra had a strange, almost shellshocked look on his face. Lion-O had repaired the blade for some heir and not the king himself? Cheetara wished she could sit down, everything seemed to be turning to madness.

"The Anointment Trials," Jaga said, "are integral for any heir to succeed the throne, for the Sword of Omens will not obey one who cannot pass its challenge. For some the tasks are light. For others they are heavy as death itself."

"Claudus had an heir?" This was a woman, small and pert like a bird. Her serval eyes seemed large in her face. "I…I have only ever heard he might have an heir. The queen died so long ago-"

"The king kept his son close for safety, and for personal reasons. I assure you that he is a capable young man, and that he has the support of several here." Did Jaga glance their way? Cheetara felt like she ought be realizing something, that she was being very thick, but she wasn't sure she wanted that moment of epiphany. Because if she acknowledged it things might change, and there would be no turning back-

"Will we see this heir then?" asked one noble. He seemed older than the others, calmer. "Will his crowning commence?"

"He is not yet of age. In two years he will be crowned officially. I will assist and guide him as long as I am able, along with the estimable council."

"A child? A child is going to rule? Let the Alliance in now why don't you?" muttered one. Cheetara kept forgetting to breathe.

"I can vouch for his courage and dedication." Panthro's voice again rose above all others. "I have met few men like him, and he will make a just ruler. I too will protect Thundera and guide him as I am able."

Jaga smiled at Panthro and, against all odds, the crowd seemed to quiet. "I will present him to you now." The old cat turned away, toward the back of the room, and gestured for the nobles to make a path. "We will continue this matter with him. Escort His Majesty in."

The doors opened slowly and seven pairs of guards entered, lining on either side of the path through the room to the throne. As one they stopped, turned to face each other, and placed their right fists against their crests.

The cat who entered was wholly unfamiliar. The blue tunic was outfitted with gold along the shoulders, intricate design stitched into the cloth. On his left arm was the Sword of Omens within its gauntlet, gleaming a song of light. On the cat's chest was the crest of the cat, and his hair – scarlet, red as blood – was bound in small braids to his shoulders. A golden circlet bound his brow, thin strips of metal in controlled patterns. It looked like something a king would wear to war. The collar of his tunic was high, nearly to his chin, and a cloak attached to his shoulders. It was thin cloth, navy blue, and lined with golden cats.

His face was the most unfamiliar thing about him. There was no uncertainty, no faint smile, no bright part of his blue eyes that made her think of home. He was handsome and distant and alone, looking straight ahead as he approached the throne.

"Lion-O?"

Kit breathed the name and Cheetara blinked. It did not make sense. Why was Lion-O in front of the throne, in royal regalia, as if he were actually a king? Their Lion-O was no king. He was sweet and humble and funny, generous and kind. He was not…not…unsmiling.

"General, what do you make of this?" A man spoke, not rudely, but in curiosity. "Is this young man our king?"

Cheetara looked at Panthro. Surely he'd be grinning, laughing at the joke, and King Claudus would pop out. She imagined a portly lion with a hearty laugh, red-faced as he howled at how he'd tricked the nobles.

Panthro fixed his silver eyes on Lion-O and took a knee, right hand on his chest. "Hail the son of Claudus, emperor of the west lands, king of Thundera, master of the Imperial city. Hail Lion-O, Lord of the Thundercats."

Jaga too took a knee. "Hail Lion-O, Lord of the Thundercats."

The nobles, awed and bewildered, took knees as well before the king that stood before them. Cheetara stumbled a little as she did the same, Snarf tugging at the hem of her dress. Lion-O had not looked at them – at anyone – even once, but for one split second his eyes flicked to hers.

And he was their Lion-O again, theirs. He looked handsome sure, but it was a little much, wasn't it? He would much rather wear a normal cloak, a ragged ponytail, and be helping Snarf get the tangles out of his fur. He would prefer steeping tea when Tygra pretended to faint from deprivation, or helping Panthro clean the tank's treads when there was mud stuck in them. He would rather play games with the kittens, or even sit with her, talking, staring up at the stars when it came time to rest.

He would rather be doing anything than standing up there. His lips twitched, as if he were about to say something to her, and Cheetara felt the urge build in her feet to run forward, grab him, and drag him out of the room. Out where their job was done, there was a grownup king to take the reins from here, and the fate of the world was not even more firmly chained to Lion-O's back.

He looked away. The moment of softness faded and the urge died. And Cheetara mouthed along with the rest, feeling her eyes grow hot and wet as their Lion-O seemed to fly far, far away.

"Hail Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats."

* * *

The desert was full of life. No one could have seen it from a single glance, particularly in the daylight. But beneath the sand were creatures and bugs and plants, all surviving and thrumming their song beneath the surface.

A long, flat plain stretched out and he paused. The heat and dryness did not bother him. The light was unpleasant but hardly crippling. This would be a quiet place. One where he could build a place to rest, to recover, to hide until he was ready.

Mumm-Ra stood for a moment, considering. Deciding upon a shape, he withdrew a single black crystal from within his cloak and placed it, point up, in the sand. He then stepped back, leaned down, and placed his hands on the crystal. The spirits hissed. "I know. It was unfortunate. We could have gotten so much more. But this will be a new start."

The crystal throbbed with life, black as a starless night, and Mumm-Ra lost himself in weaving a base for himself. By the time night had fallen and cooled the land, a great pyramid rested where nothing had been. Mumm-Ra stirred and stood up, observing it. "It will do for now."

He entered the pyramid, slipping into the tall, thin, crystalline gate. The door shut behind him.

There were no sounds under the moon that night save for that of a cloak dragging along a stony floor.

* * *

End of Episode 21

END OF SEASON 1

* * *

We would like to extend our gratitude to all those that have enjoyed this first installment of ThunderCats 2014. Whether you've read faithfully each week or read the entire tale in a few sittings, whether you review each week or don't review at all and simply keep coming back for more, we are indebted to you. If you enjoyed the work, we would encourage you to review and let us know how you feel about the direction of the project. For it is not over; season two is under construction. We hope to bring it to you soon. In the meantime, enjoy this tale again if you wish, or find others to sate your hunger for stories.

We'll be back.

TC2014


End file.
